Tea Forté
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Tea Forté Inc. is an American tea company based in Concord, Massachusetts. The company was founded in 2003 by Peter Hewitt, an American product designer. The company produces a highly stylized product line inspired by the Japanese tea ceremony, intended to "elevate a cup of tea into an extraordinary experience for all of your senses".[1]
[edit] Product line
The basis of the product line is blended high-quality teas of which, in September 2007, there were 26 varieties including black, green, white, oolong and herbal.[2] Available as individual servings, the tea is sold in pyramidal "silken" (woven food-grade Nylon) tea bags, or infusers, made and packaged in China.[3] The tall, square pyramid design of the infuser is trademarked, following the tradition of a tetrahedral Japanese design which permits loose tea to swell as it steeps. These three-dimensional designs allow higher-quality "whole leaf" teas to be used than previously pssible with traditional flat tea bags.[4]
Tea Forté products are marketed as luxury items and sold at high-end retailers, gift shops, restaurants, spas and hotels worldwide. As explained by the Boston Business Journal, "Hewitt makes no excuses for the high-end bag he calls more of an 'idea' than a product."[5] In 2007, the price ranged from $US1.00 to $US2.50 per bag, depending on packaging and the quantity purchased. The tea is also sold loose in tins. Accessories are designed to complement the unique infusers, and include infuser-sized "tea trays," glass and ceramic teacups and teapots, a wooden presentation case, and serving trays.[6]
The in-store marketing campaign features an endorsement by Oprah Winfrey, whose magazine featured the product in the October 2004 edition of O, The Oprah Magazine.
