Australian Tea Expo Table of Contents Overview... 2 Who will come?... 2 Why we want to host this event... 2 Location... 2 Event Location... 2 Location History... 2 Getting There... 2 Event Activities... 3 Launch Dinner... 3 Golden Leaf Awards... 3 Workshops, classes, cuppings... 3 Exhibitor information... 4 1
Overview The Australian Tea Masters Association is proud to announce the first annual Australian Tea Expo, the new trade show and conference in Australia for specialty tea and related products. Industry professionals and tea enthusiasts will connect face-to-face to unveil new products, optimize high quality merchandise, and gain indepth product knowledge and network with peers. The Australian Tea Expo is an opportunity to discover, taste, shop and experience all things tea. This is the first national tea event in Australia and will become the epicentre for tea specialists and tea products. This event will also feature the Golden Leaf Awards ceremony, awarding tea professionals for their quality tea blends. The Expo will: Help people discover and experience specialty tea. Encourage and grow passion for tea Educate people on quality, specialty tea Showcase specialty tea providers Celebrate the cultural diversity of teas from around the world. Who will come? Expo attendees will have an interest in specialty tea and, more broadly, artisan food and beverage products. Key segments include: True tea enthusiasts keen to indulge their obsession for the day. Foodies tea has piqued their interest and they know it s a trend worth looking at. Industry punters they re keen to explore the tea scene and want to learn more. Why we want to run this event Australia has very few events celebrating the wonder that is tea. According to google trends, tea interest in Australia has more than doubled since 2005, with Victoria being the third highest in search volume. People are becoming more aware of the variety and health benefits of tea and are in turn wanting to know more. The event will allow Australians the experience to learn about the diverse drink and meet with industry professionals. Location Location Details The Australian Tea Expo will be hosted at Simonds Stadium in Geelong, Victoria. Simonds Stadium is an Australian Rules Football stadium and is the home ground for the Geelong City s football club; Geelong Cats. The Tea Expo will be hosted on the grounds, offering a large space (170 x 115m) to accommodate plenty of stalls and a high number of attendees. Location History Australian Rules Football (AFL) has been played on Simonds Stadium since the 19 th Century, and is one of the largest regional stadiums in Australia. Following the completion of the new Players Stand, the venue has a capacity of over 34,000. The stadium also has a large video screen and four new light towers. It has had numerous names over the years, following sponsorship deals, including Shell Stadium, Baytec Stadium, Skilled Stadium and its current name, Simonds Stadium. In 2002, the Dalai Lama visited the stadium and returned in 2007 to conduct a White Tara Blessing; the blessing of healing and longevity. As well as AFL, the venue has also played host to domestic cricket, pre-season rugby league, rugby union and soccer matches. 2
Getting there By car Geelong is 75 Kilometres from Victoria s capital, Melbourne. There is parking available, both parking spaces for the stadium and on-street parking. By Train There are regular trains from Melbourne to the closest station (walking distance to the stadium) which is South Geelong Station. There are also trains that run between the Geelong Stations. (see www.vline.com.au for more information.) By Bus There are a number of buses that run in Geelong that stop at South Geelong Station (Route 19, 20, 72, 74 and 80, see http://www.mcharrys.com.au/majorstops.html#southgeelongstation) and from there the stadium is within walking distance. Event activities Launch Dinner The night before the event, we are planning to host a launch dinner at Simonds Stadium. This dinner will celebrate the event launch and will feature a delicious menu, with each coursed paired with the perfect tea. If you are interested in attending the launch dinner, please let us know and we will get back to you with further information. Golden Leaf Awards materials and packaging. The Golden Leaf Awards is a competition, judged by professional cuppers, to distinguish the highest quality & best tasting teas commercially available in the Australian marketplace. This is an event held as part of the Australian Tea Expo. The awards are made up of two classes: Hot Tea and Iced Tea. Each class consists of its own categories and judging panel. Judging will be held over two days and the winners will be notified the day before the event. Winning companies receive a formal announcement letter that includes the tea s rating and ranking as well as a print-ready seal that can be used for all promotional To get more information about the Golden Leaf awards please see the Golden Leaf Awards event brochure. Workshops, tastings, classes, tea cuppings Tea Cupping 101: The most successful professionals rely on depth of knowledge, experience and credibility that can only be 3
developed from daily comparative tasting. During this session, learn basic techniques for evaluating tea using the professional cupping method, and apply those techniques in creative and practical ways. This workshop provides a strong, basic foundation level of tea knowledge. Sensory Evaluation of Tea: The sensory evaluation of tea consists of a technique that allows us to express in words what is perceived through our senses. Using the cupping method you will participate in a detailed analysis with sight, hearing, smell, touch and taste. To describe the feelings and memories evoked by the tea, you will use the standard language as expressed in the dictionary of aromatic descriptors. Tea Cupping 201: Building on the skills learnt in Tea Cupping 101, Cupping 201 provides participants with critical discussion points and hands-on tasting activities designed for today s Tea Professional. Pairing Teas with Chocolate and Cheese: This session will teach attendees all about the use of tea as a pairing beverage when tasting chocolate and when pairing with cheeses. A tasting of green, oolong and black tea will be offered during the session. Passion for the leaf: The Australia Tea Masters team will guide you through a comparative tasting line-up of select and rare delights. Tea and health: In this session participants will learn about the various health benefits of tea. Human research studies suggest that regular consumption of tea associated with an array of health benefits including impacts on chronic conditions like cancer, diabetes, heart disease, neurodegenerative diseases and obesity. Researchers also believe that tea may also play a positive role in cognitive performance, immune function and bone health. Exhibitor information Who should apply? Tea brands specialising in loose leaf teas with a strong focus on leaf grade and specialty tea. Tea ware or tea accessory businesses Benefits of Exhibiting Opportunity to align your business with Australian Tea Masters and the first Australian Tea Expo Exposure to an engaged and relevant audience Opportunity to showcase and promote your brand and products to new customers Cross-promotion opportunities across multiple social media channels Exhibitor logo inclusion and event promotion on the Australian Tea Masters website What the Australian Tea Expo will provide Exposure and public relations opportunities through Australian Tea Masters social media channels Exhibitor logo inclusion and event promotion on the Australian Tea Masters website What Exhibitors will provide All equipment and supplies required for the functioning of the stall Tablecloth, display equipment and marketing materials Staff to service the stall Security of money/cash float Rubbish bags and cleaning supplies Mobile cooler for cooling any supplies such as milk and insulated thermoses or hot tea dispensers. 4
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