Spotlight | SlowTEA’s New Certification Program

Italy birthed the Slow Food movement to encourage greater appreciation of locally produced food and beverages. Slow Food promotes the intrinsic qualities and traditions of food processing and preparation. The Slow Tea movement, which originated in 2004, embraced the core philosophy of Slow Food while maintaining its independence. From these early beginnings, the SlowTEA Alliance (STA), a non-profit, non-government organization based in Milan, took shape. STA promotes good, clean, and fair tea production and consumption worldwide, supporting projects that defend local tea traditions, protect biodiversity, and encourage the production of small-scale quality teas.

Joining us today are Riccardo Colosi, Global Development Manager of SlowTEA Alliance, and my good friend, Marco Bertona, president of the Italy Tea & Infusions Association (AssoTè Infusi) and founder of the International SlowTEA Alliance.

The alliance recently introduced a third-party certification label featuring the ladybug, a symbol of protection and renewal. This certification is based on a new concept of quality, grounded in the three principles of Good, Clean, and Fair tea.

BIO: Marco Bertona is the co-founder and chairman of the Italy Tea & Infusions Association (AssoTè Infusi), Italy's first and oldest tea association. He is a professional tea taster, consultant, and promoter who studied tea at Zhejiang Agriculture University in Hangzhou. He holds certifications and degrees from several Chinese tea research institutes and universities. He was awarded a diploma as an Advanced Tea Taster issued by the Ministry of Labor, China.

Riccardo Colosi, in Lombardy, became devoted to sustainable farming in 2014 when he established an NGO dedicated to promoting and creating a cleaner and more ethical food chain, which he directed until 2021. He has been passionate about tea since 2013, when he completed the Italy Tea & Infusions Association courses. In 2024, he took on the role of Global Development Manager of the SlowTEA Alliance.

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