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A quick-reference guide of
for organizing a masterful tea program.
A well-planned menu is the backbone of an effective tea program. The offerings should be trim and balanced, featuring classic tea categories that your clientele will recognize.
Teas change with the seasons, and so should your menu—regularly rotate 1 or 2 teas within fixed categories. Switch up your tea sig drinks often, but maintain popular standards (like chai and matcha lattes).
A hand-menu at point-of-sale is crucial.
| Keep an updated tea list.
| Maintain categories (black, green, tisane, etc); occasionally swap teas within those categories.
| Focus on heavy-hitters, like iced tea and tea lattes.
Proper storage is the most overlooked aspect of tea programs everywhere. It can be the difference between lackluster teas and fresh, consistent stock that shop-goers rely on.
Principles of masterful tea storage:
| Store away from light, heat, and odor.
| Refrigerate matcha (and all green teas when possible).
| Prioritize ergonomics (make teas easy to find and use) and shelf space economy.
| Store tea beautifully and prominently.
We built MIYABI to satisfy these requirements—and for wholesale partners, they're free (less shipping).
Essential enough to warrant its own section, pre-dosing is the easiest way to instantly improve tea service at coffee bars.
Dose servings of tea ahead of time.
| Use a precision scale to weigh servings of tea per our steeping instructions.
| Store dosed teas in airtight, light-blocking glass.
| Keep 4-5 servings of each tea dosed.
Establishing a training standard for baristas is key to consistent tea service.
The needs of your shop (and the coffee professionals who make it work) are unique. Develop a barista training model that includes high-level tea education—we'll help.
Cupping in particular is crucial to developing the rich understanding of tea preparation that defines a masterful program. Cup teas with your team as regularly as coffee—and with your tea provider at least once per year to ensure a high quality standard.
Whether it's gongfu service in a 4th wave slow bar or sachets to-go from a drive thru, all tea service relies on the same basic mechanics. No matter your service style, what distinguishes a good tea program from a great one are the details:
| Have a plan for each version of customer.
Decide whether loose teas, sachets, or a combination makes sense in your space—then stick with a service model for to-go and for-here customers.
| Stick to one serving size.
Sachets to-go, steeped on bar, iced tea; choose one size for your entire tea service (8, 10, 12, or 16 oz).
| Use tools that encourage accuracy.
Variable temp kettles, quality glassware, functional storage.
No one service model is intrinsically superior; what's best is what's best for your shop, and we'll puzzle that out together.
Tea leaves are compostable. With a typical pH level of 3-4, spent leaves are perfect for raising the acidity of soil. Collect used leaves in a sealed container and offer to local growers or community gardens.
While the compostability of tisanes is highly variable, in general used plant material also has a pH of 3-4. The spices we use to brew our chai concentrate are collected by a local farmer each week.
Tea is profoundly complex; understanding and simplifying its intricacies for practical use is where we come in.
Real-time support for your tea program is available 7 days a week. Request pricing, schedule a live or virtual training, or ask about any and all things tea.
This contact form goes directly to Hugo's owner. We'll get back to you within the day.
