Welcome to TeaRetailer.com, an Adagio Teas blog dedicated to chronicling the development of our first Tea Retail Store. Rather than approach this project in the typical secretive corporate fashion, the team at Adagio has made the decision to embrace the input and participation of our customers and business partners. In doing so, we hope to better align ourselves with the needs and desires of the market, and also provide valuable insights and strategies to the retailers that carry our products. Over the coming weeks and months we will publish the details of our retail strategy, the process of opening the pilot store, and the results and lessons learned along the way.

I made a pretty controversial statement in a recent article. When discussing the health benefits of tea I stated that I didn't care much about the health benefits of tea. I heard from a few people who were horrified by what they saw as a form of "tea blasphemy", so I wanted to elaborate a little on my opinion and how this topic plays into the growth of the Specialty Tea industry.

If polled, I would expect the vast majority of Americans to agree strongly with the statement "tea is very good or me". At the same time, a small percentage of Americans would agree with the statement "tea tastes very good." Most people drink crummy tea. Marketing the health benefits of tea to people who already know it's good for you but think it tastes bad is unlikely to change behavior and grow the industry.

When I try a new tea, what excites me is not the expected impact on my health, but the combination of sensory enjoyment and intellectual stimulation... more >

Just a quick update today on the progress of construction at Adagio's first Tea Retail shop in Naperville, IL. We started construction on Friday, August 20th (see the before pictures here).

Eight business days into the process we've completed framing and much of the core electrical and plumbing work. This morning we were visited by the plumbing inspector, electrical inspector, fire inspector and health inspector for our preliminary inspections. They need to see all of our work before we start putting up drywall and "hide" any possible code violations. Aside from one order to add a little caulk around one pipe exiting the building, we passed with flying colors.

Later today they'll begin putting up the drywall. The flooring is scheduled to go in first thing next week, and we should be able to install our fixtures starting the end of next week.

Once you get to this point in the process things move very quickly... more >

Consumer uncertainty is the enemy that is slowing the growth of the Specialty Tea Industry. In far too many cases, the buying public has no good way to know whether or not the tea they are buying is fresh, clean of contaminants, a good value, and will deliver a rewarding experience. Consumers are hesitant to pay a premium for a luxury or gourmet product when they are uncertain of its value. As a result, the vast majority of tea drinkers in the US retreat into the predictable mediocrity of mass-market tea bags on grocery store shelves. There has to be a better way.

The grocery store is a terrible place to build a premium brand or convert casual tea drinkers to loose leaf connoisseurs. Sure, some people will try a new product on the shelf, but most buy what they know. At a minimum, they buy products that fit within the price and packaging templates they are used to. There is no question that consumers will buy gourmet products in a grocery store, but that's typically the case when the brand is already known from another environment... more >

Tea feeds my soul. A friend of mine who owns a small tea company recently challenged me to stop writing so much about the business of tea and wear my soul on my sleeve a little more. So I'm taking this opportunity to describe why I've developed a passion for tea.

It's true that much of my writing focus on the business of tea. It can accurately be said that I am a tea capitalist. Since a bankrupt company can’t be socially or environmentally conscious, I make no apologies for pursuing profit. Success is a necessary prerequisite of positively impacting the world around you. The key, of course, is balance. A company that pursues short-term profit at any cost is a menace. A company that pursues social values at any cost is defined as a non-profit, and subsists on donations, not customers.

I’ve worked in a variety of industries. I’ve started small businesses, consulted for medium sized businesses, and worked in the bowels of giant corporations. I’ve learned a lot, had a good deal of success, and had a tremendous amount of fun, but I’ve never worked in an industry that feeds my soul the way the tea industry does... more >