Feature: Varieties of imported tea growing popular in black tea-dominated Istanbul

Source: Xinhua| 2018-04-22 19:27:17|Editor: pengying
Video PlayerClose

ISTANBUL, April 22 (Xinhua) -- "I shall have a pot of matcha tea for myself and a melon white tea for my friend, please," Burcin Simsek, a young woman, said to a waitress as she took her seat at an upscale coffee house in Istanbul.

A few minutes later, the melon white tea was served in a posh teapot over a tealight candle.

"Please give it some time, and you are good to go," said the waitress, who explained that it would take two minutes more for the matcha tea to be ready since its powder should be first soaked in hot water and then whisked rigorously with a special bamboo broom until it is completely frothy and smooth.

Until a few years ago, this conversation would not make any sense for most of people in Turkey, a country dominated purely by Turkish black tea with a per-capita consumption of 3.5 kg per year.

But recently, the introduction of different varieties of tea into the market has started to change everything Turkish people know about tea and tea brewing.

The Turkish tea is traditionally brewed in metallic two-piece stacked kettles over gas stoves for about 20 minutes to fully infuse its color and aroma. As it quickly acquires a bitter taste, new tea is put into the kettles for brewing in every half an hour.

"The Turkish people have been acquainted not only with new tastes, but also with brand-new brewing techniques and cultures," said Ayse Celem, the owner of Xunta coffee house in Istanbul's Arnavutkoy neighborhood along the Bosphorus Strait.

"There is really a growing demand for different types of imported tea in Istanbul," she told Xinhua.

Traditional Turkish tea is not being served in Xunta, as there is no more interest in it, Celem said, adding seven to eight different types of select tea are now available on the menu.

Arzu Kumral, a businesswoman, said that for years she has heard people speaking highly of Sri Lankan and Chinese tea.

"Now I have the chance to taste them in a coffee house located just next to my office," she said at the garden of Xunta, while taking a sip of her milky Oolong tea imported from China's Taiwan.

Baris Cekin, the owner of Chado tea import company, first observed a significant shift in the global demand, especially in the western part of the world, toward different kinds of traditionally grown tea in the east.

In his view, the introduction of yoga and healthy eating habits have transformed the lifestyles of the Westerners, drawing their attention to different types of eastern tea as a result.

"But Turkey has only recently discovered this global trend," he said.

Cekin's Chado company is now trying to lead Turks in exploring different kinds of tea from over 10 countries and regions, introducing exotic brewing techniques, rituals and services.

Those kinds of tea from China, Japan, India, Indonesia, South Korea, and Sri Lanka are in strong demand among Chado's customers, in particular Chinese jasmine pearl tea and melon white tea, Indian blue flowers earl grey and Japanese matcha tea.

Tea preparation and serving utensils from different parts of the world are also a crucial part of Chado's business, as one of the main goals is to introduce diverse tea cultures from the producers.

"So we also import tea products like Chasen, a special bamboo whisk for matcha tea from Japan, and purple clay teapots from China," said Cekin.

Chado is enjoying a boom in sales as its trade volume has been steadily increasing over the years.

"Despite the introduction of new players in the market each year, we still enjoy a 40-percent profit margin," Cekin remarked.

In his view, small businesses cannot usually afford to import goods, as there is a large overhead of fixed import taxes.

Furthermore, all imported tea should be sent to Turkey's Black Sea province of Rize for inspection, which incurs extra costs and is also very time-consuming.

"So they prefer to do business with us instead, as our overhead is lower since we operate with larger quantities," said Cekin.

Chado operates several tea shops throughout the country, mostly in upscale neighborhoods. Online sales are contributing a lot to its business as well, according to Cekin.

TOP STORIES
EDITOR’S CHOICE
MOST VIEWED
EXPLORE XINHUANET
010020070750000000000000011100001371288701