Calm before the storm...let's get busy

It is that time, the calm before the storm of winter sales...meaning the perfect time for you and I to:

1. finalize your winter tea offerings, finish formulation, and place orders ~ for inspiration see attached Holiday Tea offerings from last winter (valid for this year too!)
2. get your winter orders in for your high volume items, negotiate pricing on volume (helping us project and negotiate best pricing)
3. talk about what is in stock now - that usually runs out! SUCH AS:  Lemon grass tbc $2/lb, and Organic Lemon Grass c/s and tbc each $3/lb. Chamomile - organic tbc $4.50, Org whole $6.50, conventional whole $5.50, tbc $3.  Rosehips Org tbc $5.70.   Gunpowder - Org. 9374 $3.50 (C10139), C10141 Ex Spl 3505 Gunpowder $6.90, and conventional 3505 $3.  
4. don't forget cardamom is down this year - but tea pricing is going up - so if you can place orders now, I would advise you to STOCK UP NOW or secure pricing for the next month beofre it rises - see attached article from World Tea News   
5. talk about some Kenyan teas - I will send you info very soon on some that are overstocked here...I will send you cupping notes and ideas on how you can use them to your advantage at a GREAT price to move it out from us to you at a fabulous value 
6. it is time to start thinking and planning on next years teas, especially in iced teas
7. have you seen our new website and registered to view pricing?  www.qtradeteas.com, PLEASE NOTE - you can not order on here yet, so please ignore anything on this function (for now!), you can not check your account on here yet either! 
8. lastly - check out my blog for more interesting info!  http://desntea.blogspot.com/,such as this interesting article on "The State of the Industry" From Bev Industry ...  http://desntea.blogspot.com/2012/07/2012-state-of-industry-tea-and-ready-to.html

QTrade and L.A. Business Journal...Tea is here to stay

Tea Maker’s Santa Fe Springs Exit Was in Leaves

RELOCATION: QTrade moves to Cerritos with eye on future expansion.By JAMES RUFUS KORENMonday, July 23, 2012

You’ve probably never heard of QTrade International Corp., but if you’ve ever strolled down the tea aisle at Whole Foods Market, you’ve probably seen the company’s products.

And you might see more. The company, a major importer and processor of specialty teas and herbs, is expanding and this month finished moving into a new manufacturing center and headquarters in Cerritos.

The 64,000-square-foot building, at 16205 Distribution Way, was purchased last year and nearly doubles the company’s footprint compared with its previously facility of 34,000 square feet in Santa Fe Springs.

“It gives us additional capability, especially in our manufacturing,” said QTrade President Manjiv Jayakumar. “We went from 2,000 square feet of blending area to about 12,000 square feet.”

QTrade imports teas and herbs, mostly through the local ports, then processes, blends and packages teas for private-label customers. Jayakumar said he could not disclose the names of any customers, but they are brands “you’d typically find in a Whole Foods environment.”

The company imports about 800 different ingredients, most of them organic and fair-trade certified, and has roughly 2,000 different product blends. Its products are available in all 50 states; the company also serves customers in Canada and the Middle East.

QTrade has grown significantly since Jayakumar’s father, Chief Executive Manik, founded the company in his garage in 1994 after emigrating from Sri Lanka. It was a one-man operation until 2005, when it moved to a small warehouse in Santa Fe Springs; QTrade now employs about 50 workers.

Manjiv Jayakumar said QTrade doesn’t need all of its 64,000 square feet today and called the $4.3 million purchase a gamble, but he expects the company to grow into its new space as the specialty tea market grows.

“It’s a bet on the future of the industry,” he said. “We felt we wanted to build ahead of what the current state of the business was. In the short term, we certainly face lots of cash-flow pressures, but we’re confident our tea is here to stay.”