For the tea drinker, visiting a well run tea room or high quality hotel or restaurant that serves high quality loose leaf tea can be a very enjoyable experience. In addition to the taste and sense of well being and serenity that high quality loose leaf tea offers, the tea drinker can also enjoy the value added benefits that tea resellers add.
Tea resellers add significant value to the tea drinking process in the form of tea related food (for example: sandwiches, cakes, pure drinking water and full meals) and a warm elegant environment that encourages socializing and friendship among tea drinkers.
It is important to understand however, the business relationship between the tea supplier and the reseller/wholesaler that allows the creation of value for the tea drinker.
What is a tea wholesaler?
A tea wholesaler is a business that buys high quality loose leaf tea in bulk and at a discount from the retail price and then serves the tea to its customer in a tea room, restaurant of other establishment. The tea serving is almost always combined with value added offerings of other products like quality food and beverages,
What is a tea supplier?
A tea supplier is a business that purchases and imports tea in bulk from the country of origin like China, India, Sri Lanka, Taiwan or other tea producing country. Many suppliers will blend raw tea using recipes for unique flavors that the supplier has developed. Blends like Earl Grey, Coconut Pouchong, Vanilla Jasmine, Kashmiri Chai and others are included with basic black, green, wu long, white and pu-erh teas are in the product line of the supplier.
The essence of the wholesaler/supplier relationship is the value created as a result of the products and services offered the wholesaler by the supplier and the benefits received by the wholesaler.
What should the wholesaler look for in a supplier?