Recently, Senior Tea Trader Caitlin Normann attended World Tea Expo in Las Vegas, Nevada! While she was there, Caitlin sat in on lectures, met with suppliers, and connected with up-and-coming businesses. After returning from expo, Caitlin used inspiration from the event to choose her Spring 2024 picks for cold brew iced tea!

World Tea Expo 2024

It was nice to be back at World Tea Expo! Being surrounded by industry professionals is always an amazing experience and a great opportunity to learn something new. I was able to roam the expo, sit in on a few lectures, and make many connections over the two days I was there.

When you walk in, the Las Vegas Convention Center is packed to the brim with vendors. However, there’s not just tea—there’s also a significant amount of bar and restaurant exhibitors sharing the show floor! You may not think it, but the two can go hand-in-hand; this expo gives tea vendors access to potential customers that may use tea in their products.

Forming Connections

This year, I was able to meet up with a few of our suppliers, including long-time partners and new friends. I can never undervalue spending time with the people who help grow our business. It’s also nice to ask questions face-to-face: Will there be new products available to us in the coming months? What does the supply chain look like for our current materials? Are there any new or innovate production processes in the works? These are just a sample of the in-person discussions we’re able to have about what the future holds.

Expo also allows us to meet up-and-coming businesses looking for help navigating their tea journey! In fact, World Tea has an app that works similarly to a dating app. It connects buyers and sellers and makes it convenient to set up meetings during show hours. I was able to sit with many business owners and offer guidance, which was probably my favorite part of attending World Tea. Establishing personal connections is incredibly important; doing this on the expo floor was another way of acting as an industry resource, something we’re proud to do for companies of all sizes at Royal Tea.

Finding Seasonal Flavor Inspiration

If you are a company that utilizes tea in any capacity, then World Tea Expo is the best place to showcase your products. The tea bar was exceptionally fun, offering mocktails and cocktails crafted with tea donated by various vendors. My favorite was an earl grey cocktail with vanilla, garnished with a butterfly pea flower-infused lotus root! There were also some new vendor creations I’ve never seen, like corn silk tea and red adzuki bean tea.

When I returned from the exciting experience that was World Tea Expo, it got me thinking about the flavors I saw there. Spring has sprung, and that means that more people are looking to offer cold brew iced tea on their menus. While we still recommend past favorites like ROOT BEER and TROPICAL GREEN, seeing what was trending at expo helped me fine-tune our latest picks for 2024!

Cold Brew Iced Tea Picks: Spring 2024

Shop Organic Hibiscus Berry

Since our inception, Hibiscus Berry has been a staple. Now, this blend is all-organic! ORGANIC HIBISCUS BERRY packs a powerful, fruity punch. In fact, the flavor impact is so strong that we recommend steeping it for 6 hours instead of the usual 8. With notes of blueberry, mango, and passionfruit, this is truly the ultimate spring and summer sipper.

Shop White Peach

If you’re looking for a bit softer of a blend, WHITE PEACH is for you. While the main note is juicy peach, there are also more subtle notes of citrusy lemon in this white-tea based blend. Though quite refreshing on its own, we recommend adding a bit of honey or simple syrup when this tea is ready to serve. For a different experience, try adding a bit of lemonade!

Shop Blue Bellini

This blend’s eye-catching deep blue brew color is the first thing that will grab your attention: it’s BLUE BELLINI! Butterfly pea flowers add a fun aesthetic to this cold brew option, and a squeeze of lemon or lime will turn the tea a bright pink. Upon the first sip, you’ll notice primary notes of pineapple, peach, and orange.

Shop Organic Keemun OP

Lastly, you can’t go wrong with a classic black iced tea. If you’re searching for an incredibly cost-effective cold brew that can take on other flavors or sweeteners well, our ORGANIC KEEMUN OP is your winner. It’s also perfect as a sweet tea or mixed with lemonade to create a well-known beverage. Put it on nitro for an even smoother brew!

Final Thoughts on Cold Brew Iced Tea & World Tea Expo

Attending World Tea Expo this year was a wonderful opportunity. I’m looking forward to utilizing everything I learned, both when working with you and for making recommendations like these. If you have any questions about expo or our cold brew picks, don’t hesitate to reach out. We’ll be back at expo next year, and maybe we’ll even have our own booth! Make sure to keep an eye out for updates regarding all-things Royal.

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