What To Look For In A Brand Of Retail Tea

If you own a shop and wish to sell tea, one of the first steps you'll need to take is to find a company whose tea you want to sell. Many tea companies do sell packaged tea for resale. They refer to it as "retail tea." With a range of brands to choose from, how do you know which brand you should sell in your stores? Here are some top things to consider as you make your selection.

Is it actual tea or herbal tea?

People often use the term "herbal tea" to refer to infusions of various herbs. But this is quite different from real tea, which comes from the tea plant. It's perfectly fine to sell herbal tea in your store if you'd like. But if your plan is to sell actual tea, you want to buy from a company that does make a selection of real teas. Look closely at the product descriptions and labels to ensure the company offers the types of teas you want to carry.

Do they sell loose-leaf tea or bags?

There is nothing inherently wrong with tea bags, but they don't result in quite as high-quality of a cup of tea as loose-leaf tea. Ask yourself who your intended customers are. If you think most of your customers are more casual tea drinkers, then selling bagged tea is probably fine. If you think your customers may be more experienced, discerning tea drinkers, though, you may want to stick with a brand that sells loose-leaf tea. People who are tea connoisseurs sometimes won't even consider buying bags.

How long is the shelf life?

Tea can be packaged in a few different ways, some of which keep it fresher for longer than others. Some tea may also be packed closer to harvest than other tea. So, check the expected shelf life before you choose a brand of retail tea. If one brand's tea has sell-by dates a month from now and another brand's sell-by dates are not for six months, the brand with the longer shelf life is likely preferable. You'll have longer to sell it, and customers will have longer to drink it.

Tea can be a great thing to sell in your retail shop. Many people enjoy a cup now and then, even if they are not daily tea drinkers. Consider a few different brands, and sell the one that appeals to you the most.

Contact a wholesaler to learn more about how to buy retail tea.

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