Savoring Tea A new way to enjoy a high quality drink

Abstract

While the interest in high quality tea is increasing, a lot of foodservice establishments still serve low quality tea. This doesn’t provide the customer with a very positive experience, and the establishments are ignoring a great opportunity to differentiate themselves. The lack of high quality tea in these establishments provides an opportunity for the company Simon Lévelt. If Simon Lévelt can provide these establishments with a way to serve their tea in a convenient and efficient manner, Simon Lévelt can increase their B2B market share and generate more interest for high quality tea in general. The Simon Lévelt company has a lot of experience and knowledge concerning tea, but they’re relatively small in the B2B market and franchise stores often do not have enough resources to pursue the B2B market next to their retail efforts in the consumer market. Internal research shows that consumers are willing to pay significantly more for high quality tea. This increases the confidence that a new approach can achieve increased revenue for foodservice businesses as well as increased customer satisfaction. The foodservice market is very big, and not all market segments will be suited for the introduction of a high quality tea concept. The “green restaurant” market is chosen as the initial market for a product introduction, as it is assumed that the people in this market will more readily accept the benefits of using high quality natural ingredients, such as the tea sold by Simon Lévelt. After exploring several directions, the final concept includes a teapot and a special tea menu. These will be provided for free or for a reduced price when an establishment signs a contract, appointing Simon Lévelt as their sole tea supplier for a given period. The teapot was chosen because of the extra value it provides for the customer. This teapot incorporates a few innovations however, to keep the process efficient and easy. An integrated timer helps the customer prepare the tea, to prevent a tasteless or bitter beverage. A silicon top acts as a mechanism that lowers the filter into the water and lifts it up when the tea is ready. This solution prevents the hassle of removing a wet filter from a cup or teapot, which can cause annoyances such as spills or burnt fingers. Extra features include removable parts for easy cleaning and an ideal 2-cup size for the foodservice market. The tea menu helps the customer in deciding between different kinds of tea that are possibly unknown to them. To do this the menu uses a flavor rating system which especially helps in comparing similar teas, such as two types of green tea.