Saturday Sources Traveling Tea

Today’s interview is with Kateri of Traveling Tea. Traveling Tea is a local business in St. Louis that is dedicated to tea. She sells a wide variety of teas of all varieties and flavors. Most of her teas are organic and many are also fair trade. My family has enjoyed many of her teas over the past several years. Her peach is a particular favorite of my husbands. I hope you will enjoy learning a bit more about Kateri and her company Traveling-Tea. Even if you aren’t local to us her company offers mail order from her website.

-PattyLA

What made you decide to create a Tea company and where does it’s name come from?

I have always preferred tea to coffee and the lack of places to purchase good quality, organic teas in St. Louis had long been an issue. When my daughter was in college in Kansas City I discovered a tea shop/bar with the environment of a coffee bar and visited it frequently. That is when I learned about how to properly brew green tea so that it is not bitter. My public tea drinking life in St. Louis became even more frustrating. When I would mention to others that I wished someone would open a good place to purchase tea, the response was often “Why don’t you do it?”

Early in 2008 I became very frustrated at my daily job and longing for courage to make a change. I began mentally exploring the idea of what I would do with a tea shop and how to start it. For months I would revisit the needs and angles of how to begin, get overwhelmed and decide I couldn’t do it. The location for a shop was also a quandary. Yet, the idea and urge kept returning. After another summer Farmers Market season, wishing I could enjoy a cup of tea (as others could coffee) it occurred to me that I could start at the Tower Grove Farmer’s Market. Once that idea took hold, the name “Traveling Tea” and the image of a red teapot with a hobo bag just CAME TO ME. It was truly inspired, and I took that as encouragement to proceed.

I currently have nearly 80 flavors/varieties that I carry regularly and seasonally. About 10-12 of those are my own custom blends, including an iced tea blend and chai spice mix.

I work with 5 different vendors to get the quality and variety that my customers request, as well as buying direct from 2 tea estates.

About 90% of my offerings are organic; and almost all of my custom blends are made from organic ingredients, though my facilities are not “certified organic”. About 20% of the organic teas are also fair trade certified.

It is my hope, one day, to be able to travel to the tea producing regions and make more personal connections and observe and share directly with the tea growers and their workers, and thereby give my customers greater reward and opportunity for directly aiding others via their tea enjoyment.

We get asked this a lot, and I’ve created a category on my website for “Staff Favorites”; this includes my favorites and that of several of my employees. To pick just one from each category as of right now: Blackberry Sage (black tea), Pinhead Gunpowder (green), Guayusa Berry Hibiscus (herbal with caffeine), Peachy Peach (herbal no caffeine); and White Strawberry (which I can no longer get because that vendor changed to 25# minimum to get organic version)

I would have to make inquiries to find out whether any of the flavored teas contain soy lecithin. Many of the flavored teas contain “natural flavorings”; some of them contain “organic flavorings” and are so noted in their descriptions. None of the unflavored teas will have anything added. Also, most of my custom blends will not have any flavorings, since I do not use those (unless a flavored tea is used as a base). Examples: WellBody Ginger Green, Travelers Ginger Green (caffeinated version), Red Clover Fairy, Autumn Afternoon, Night Traveler, Allergy Relief Blend, Pumpkin Ginger Spice - the flavors in all of these are derived totally from the ingredients

Update from Kateri - She has asked her suppliers about Soy Lethicin in her teas and as far as she has heard back none of them have it. The only teas that might (she has not hear back) are Caramelized Pear, Pineapple Green, Green Tea Mango, Red Berries, and Peachy Peach. Yay!

Briefly, If it is what you are meant to do, yes.

How long it will take to get there is another question entirely.

I’m going into my 5th year and I am not yet making a living at it. I started in 2008/2009, a slow time to start; and I am just beginning to see the potential to make a living at it.

Due to my circumstances, I have had to start slowly and continue working a full time job to pay my personal bills. I do see many people whom I believe are making a living at it - after years invested. Many of them were the pioneers, when tea was not well known.

I think there is greater potential going forward. Per a recent statement from the World Tea News “50% growth in retail sales of premium teas is expected by 2016”.

Tea is an “affordable luxury”, yet it is important to realize that tea is not as highly consumable as many other food items. 1# of tea makes approximately 200 cups, compared to 1# of coffee only makes 40.

Another question I am often asked: “What is the healthiest tea, or tea with greatest health benefits?”

Short answer - The one you will drink. If it doesn’t taste good, you won’t drink it regardless of how good it is for you.

Additionally, as we recognize that it is better to steam vegetables (or eat soup) because the nutrients leach into the water; with tea, you are steeping a leaf that has absorbed nutrients and minerals from the soil, and then drinking the water. In the case of matcha (which is powdered green tea leaf) you are even consuming the entire leaf and the water.

To my way of thinking, the primary health benefit of tea is in the slowing down to prepare it and enjoy it, and sharing with others. In my observations from the Farmers Market, I’ve found most tea drinkers to be more patient, easy going, social, and cooperative, and able to better roll with the ups and downs in life. I think this is a gift to us from the Tea Spirits.

Thank you for the opportunity to “share good tea”