[W]orld Tea Expo and Healthy Beverage Expo founder George Jage, who pioneered the first WTE more than a decade ago, has announced he is moving on to a new position beyond the tea industry. Aside from organizing the first US trade show devoted to specialty tea, the industry leader also launched the North American Tea Championship, World Tea Academy, World Tea News, and helped to spearhead the first World Tea Awards; the inaugural awards were co-hosted by George in May, concurrently with the duo of Expos.
In a recent post on his site World Tea News, George offered his take on the industry, as he moves on: “We are in a golden age of expansion for the specialty tea industry. Tea remains the most-consumed beverage globally, second only to water, but lags at seventh in the United States. The opportunity for growth is strong . . . The stars are all aligned . . . The future is in your tea cup.”
—Regan Crisp is Fresh Cup’s associate editor.
