On-pack information, by its very nature, has to be succinct and brief but should give the purchaser essential information about whether the tea is black, green or white etc. and what that actually means, which country and region the tea comes from, what the character of the tea is, and how to brew it to best advantage. It is not enough to simply say "a fermented black tea from India" or "a blend of teas from several origins" – ‘fermented’ is misleading and inaccurate, tea lovers want to know which part of India and if relevant which estate, and blend details could certainly give a little more information than the very vague ‘several origins’. We want to know! And instead of describing the tea in the leaf in the packet as simply a ‘strong’ tea, why not do as the more enlightened tea companies now do and give tasting notes like those that appear on wine labels? And instead of just saying ‘pour on freshly boiled water and infuse for three minutes’, packagers should give the correct temperature and the exact number of minutes that will yield the best flavor from each individual tea. It is not enough, on packets of green tea for example, to state ‘allow freshly boiled water to cool for 2-3 minutes before pouring onto the tea’ because it takes much longer than 2-3 minutes for boiling water to cool to the correct 70? or 75? C – or even the 50? or 60? temperature that is required for some greens.

In tea stores and tea rooms all over the world, passionate retailers and owners are raising awareness naturally by talking to their customers with enthusiasm, interest and a desire to share. But they must ensure that all their staff also know the products in as much detail as possible so that they can discuss with customers the origin, category, brewing recommendations and how or when to drink the different teas. Those who care about this organize regular training sessions for themselves and their staff, increasing not only their own knowledge but their ability to communicate and share what they know with customers, answering questions and advising on which to try, how to brew, how to store, etc. And if we don’t have the knowledge, it’s important not to pretend that we do. Whenever we find that we don’t know, we should try to plug the gaps by reading, asking specialists, contacting suppliers and producers.

Tea lists and menus should also give as much information as possible, not simply to tell customers about the individual character of the different teas but to teach and enlighten as to why, for example, an oolong is an oolong and why it may have dark brown leaves or might look like little rolled green pellets, or why a white tea from Africa is so unusual and how it has been manufactured. Categories should be carefully divided so that customers do not become confused - for example to list jasmine pearls under ‘herbal infusions’ (not uncommon) is just plain wrong, and to place oolongs with greens as sometimes happens is also a mistake. The worst mistake I have ever come across was on a menu that listed Ceylon teas under the heading ‘Indian Teas’!

The most useful and effective way in which retail stores and tea rooms can pass on knowledge, raise customers’ awareness and boost sales is by holding focused tastings that are run either by themselves or by specialists who really understand the teas. Some tea shops invite the owner of a particular tea estate or a tea specialist who has visited the relevant tea factories or regions to lead the tasting, guiding people through different grades or types of tea so that they begin to understand the differences. It happens all over the word with wine, whisky and other alcoholic beverages and now it’s happening more and more with tea. A successful tasting shows the dry leaf and discusses why it looks as it does, it gives the background to the region of origin and the method of manufacture, it advises about brewing temperatures and times, it discusses the taste and aroma profile of the liquor and allows the group to smell and examine the wet leaf. If the group enjoys the tea and feels a connection with it because of all the colorful and fascinating information they’ve been given, they are far more likely to buy some to take home to brew for themselves and their friends and family. And so the good news and the correct information spreads out to the wider tea-consuming world.

Tea can provide a perfect focus and add an unusual appeal to events in restaurants, spas, stately homes and community centers, and can add fun and unexpected interest at fund raising events, corporate and tourist gatherings, birthday parties, meetings of associations, societies and clubs. In recent years, we’ve seen a colorful range of events featuring tea cocktails, tea and food pairings, cooking with tea, afternoon teas served with a carefully matching tea selection, Chinese teas linked with Chinese medicine, children’s Mad Hatter tea parties, fashion events inspired by tea, and exhibitions of tea-related photographs and ceramics. The possibilities are endless and these occasions offer perfect opportunities for lively talks and slide shows that instruct as well as entertain. Audiences are always fascinated and amazed that tea is such an interesting and wide-ranging topic. Tea people should seize these occasions and use them to tea their business’s advantage. They should involve audiences as much as possible in the sensory enjoyment of the teas’ visual beauty, history, legends and traditions as well as their individual flavor profiles. Make it fun but accurate, lively but instructive.

South Korea is a perfect example of how to attract new people to tea. The annual Hadong and Boseong tea festivals invite locals and tourists alike to visit the wild tea bushes, make tea by hand, learn about the plant and the different varietals, taste and buy samples from specialist street traders, visit local temples that in the past were so important to tea production and consumption, and take part in the annual tea brewing competition. People flock to these events every year to learn and enjoy, and as a result tea drinking in Korea is increasing. And whereas there are tea trade shows all over the world every year for the tea industry, the Korean approach is not to attract trade people or people who already know about tea but ordinary everyday Korean people who experience and are now learning about tea as part of their weekend days out or their annual holidays.

Watching tea production for oneself and asking for information from the producers is of course the best possible way to learn and more and more plantations now offer accommodation, factory visits and tasting opportunities for tea tourists. In the less well-known tea producing countries, too, there are opportunities to learn. In South Carolina in the US, The Charleston Tea Estate offers the chance to walk through the tea factory and learn how tea is made; in the UK, Tregothnan Tea Estate in Cornwall organizes tours of the garden and tea areas to help visitors understand what tea is and how it grows; and in Italy’s Tuscan Hills above Lucca, the tea garden at Sant’ Andrea di Compito is famous for its camellia japonicas but also now offers the opportunity to visit the small tea plantation and learn more about the camellia sinensis. And at World Tea Expo in Las Vegas in 2009, the Taiwanese tea makers cleverly brought in fresh leaf and made their famous oolong teas in front of a fascinated and very eager audience.

More formal classes and training sessions are also available today in several countries and attract an interesting mix of people. Groups include those who need to know for their present or future work and those who simply want to know for their own enjoyment of tea.

In the US, the Specialty Tea Institute offers seminars and day courses that teach about tea history, tea manufacture, tea origins and types, grading, and cupping and tasting skills. And at World Tea Expo each year, the three-day program includes focused tastings, seminars, discussions and workshops that both teach and inspire the thousands of tea aficionados who attend. In London, the monthly Tea Masterclasses that the author of this artilce teaches with Tim Clifton are held in a hotel in Mayfair to give trainees information about tea history, plucking, tea categories and manufacture, supply chains and brewing skills. In Paris, l’Université de Thé organizes a program of events throughout the year to teach about different types of tea from different countries and to offer regular focused tasting opportunities. And in Lyon, in the south of France, Dilmah, the Sri Lankan tea company, has established an International School of Tea in partnership with the Institut Paul Bocuse, a highly respected culinary teaching institution. Like all those teaching tea, it aims to "cover the theory and practice of tea in relation to its manufacture, brewing, presentation and appreciation". And for many years in Japan, certified instructors have been teaching both black and green tea and every year attract hundreds of dedicated tea drinkers.

To date, the majority of training courses and events around the globe have been offered as an option for anyone who chooses to learn about tea out of personal or professional interest. We are now at a crucial stage when we must decide how tea training can become a compulsory part of formal training undertaken in catering colleges and vocational training centers so that students coming out of those institutions and taking up jobs in food service start their working lives with at least a basic understanding of what tea is and how to brew and serve it. If this cannot be achieved, all the passion, determination and vigor that is driving the tea business today will still only reach a tiny portion of the consuming public. If we are to reach a wider audience, to open consumers’ eyes to the wonders of tea, and increase sales, we must now try and raise tea awareness among food service employers, trainers, employees and new trainees.

When organizing training programs, we must all recognize and remember that the information we pass on must be accurate and true, for it is almost worse to give misinformation than to give no information at all.