
Tea History Collection | Commodities Logjam | THIRST Human Rights | Q|A Aasha Bhandari
About this episode
Episode 19 | May 20, 2021
HEAR THE HEADLINES – Tea History Collection Unveiled | Indian Commodities Logjam | THIRST Undertakes a Human Rights Analysis in Tea | A Series of Major Quakes Rattle Yunnan
| GUEST – William Liu is a 20-year-old sophomore at Wake Forest University and founder of the World Tea Association on campus and online.
| NEWSMAKER – Asha Bhandari is the International Trade and Promotion Executive at HIMCOOP, the Himalayan Tea Producers Cooperative, a consortium of all orthodox tea producers established in 2003
| FEATURES – Tea Biz this week travels to Nepal to meet Aasha Bhandari, the newly named International Trade and Promotion Executive at the Himalayan Tea Producers Cooperative…
… and then to the North Carolina campus of Wake Forest University to learn from student William Liu discusses why ancient teas and rituals retain their appeal with young people.
Himalayan Tea Opportunity
Nepal’s tea industry reported record sales in 2020. The fabled tea land is growing quantities and greater varieties of loose and broken-leaf teas thanks to a government-initiated expansion of the industry to high-altitude gardens in non-traditional growing areas. Rural agrarian entrepreneurs are redefining offerings for an international market thirsty for the distinct taste of Himalayan-grown oolongs, white teas, and premium black whole leaves. In this segment, Aravinda Anantharaman introduces Aasha Bhandari, newly named to promote trade at the Himalayan Tea Producers Cooperative, a consortium of all orthodox tea producers established in 2003.
Why Ancient Tea Appeals to Young People
William Liu is a 20-year-old sophomore at Wake Forest University who is so inspired by tea that he and his classmates established the World Tea Association on campus and online. The group offers tea discovery and tasting sessions weekly and hosts occasional tea panels with presentations by tea professionals, tea scholars, and tea explorers. The events bring together many who are new to tea, says William: “we aim to redefine the tea experience through an interdisciplinary approach and expose the true leaf to a greater audience.” In this discussion, he describes why tea appeals to young people and explains his view that tea learning is ongoing. “The tea journey has no destination, he says. It involves only intention and lifelong learning.”
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