Spotlight | Beyond the Trophy

The Leafies International Tea Awards, now in its third edition, attracted almost 400 entries this year and, on Nov. 6, named 26 Gold Award winners. An additional 42 teas were Highly Commended by 16 judges representing each major tea-growing region. Director Jennifer Wood explains that judging teas by region and type enables the panel of experts to evaluate the teas more fairly. All judges collaborate to reassess the gold award winners and select best-in-show. Organizers in 2022 saw “A massive gap in the market for a window to origin. The competition seemed like a great way of recognizing the people who work so hard to produce sensational teas only to struggle to get a voice in the marketplace.”

Everyone covets trophies and bragging rights. In this episode, Jennifer describes the far more valuable underlying benefits of tea competitions for those who enter -- and the industry at large.

BIO Jennifer Wood has worked in tea for 18 years after a successful career in branding. In 2007, she founded Canton Tea in London to supply fine, artisan tea to Five Star Hotels, Michelin-starred restaurants, and independent coffee shops. Jennifer is the Director of the UK Tea Academy, which she co-founded with writer and educator Jane Pettigrew in 2015. The UKTA trains tea professionals and offers courses for tea enthusiasts. Next year, OCN London, a regulated qualifications body with international recognition, will endorse the academy’s courses and certify the qualification for Tea Sommelier. The UKTA launched The Leafies in 2022 to celebrate the producers and embed best practices in the UKTA's learning program.

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