The Charleston Tea Plantation, located on Wadmalaw Island in the lowcountry of South Carolina, is the only working tea plantation in the United States. Growing over 320 varieties of the Camellia Sinensis plant (originally brought over from China in the 1700′s), the tea garden produces both black and green teas.

Despite their deliciously libacious start in China, the plants didn’t successfully produce tea here until 1888, when Dr. Charles Shepard founded the Pinehurst Tea Plantation in Summerville, South Carolina. But when Shepard died in 1915, his formerly award-winning tea bushes grew wild. It wasn’t until 1968 that the bushes were transplanted and took hold on a former potato farm on Wadmalaw Island, transforming the land into a place for experimental tea research. In 1987, a third-generation tea taster named William Barclay Hall purchased the land and converted it from a research and development property into a commercial business. The Charleston Tea Plantation was born. Continue Reading »

Earlier today, BAZI International Inc., provider of nutritional foods and beverages designed to help enhance physical health and overall performance, announced the official launch of its primary product, BAZI (pronounced Bah-Zee) — an alternative energy shot containing eight super fruits (jujube, acai, mangosteen, goji, pomegranate, blueberry, raspberry and seabuckthor) and a variety of phytonutrients, antioxidants, vitamins and trace minerals.

“Unlike other energy shots that overload the body with excessive caffeine, sugar, B vitamins, taurine, and other artificial stimulants, BAZI combines nature’s finest ingredients for increased energy and better performance.” — Kevin C. Sherman, BAZI President and CEO. “With BAZI, there’s no crash, no warning label, and no adverse effects to your health. Pure and simple, BAZI is energy and nutrition.” Continue Reading »

Around 5PM yesterday evening, approximately 500 Coca-Cola employees, from six “Teamster Local Unions” across Western Washington, went on strike as a result of the company’s “surveillance and intimidation of its employees” and its “refusal to bargain a contract in good faith.”

Coca-Cola is currently under investigation by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) for serious and repeated violations of federal labor law, including “surface bargaining”, surveillance of its employees, and threatening to retaliate against workers for engaging in protected activities. Continue Reading »

Just like King Midas, everything the Trump Organization touches turns to gold, and this venture is sure to be no different. The company just announced its partnership with Talbott Teas, purveyor of upscale, gourmet teas. Together they will launch Trump Tea, a collection of four whole leaf gourmet tea blends created by Talbott Teas’ master blender Shane Talbott.

“We are thrilled to be partnering with Talbott Teas on this collection of tea which offers the opportunity to indulge in an affordable way. Our mission was to create unique blends that would make the tea-drinking experience both relaxing and luxurious.” – Cathy Hoffman Glosser, Executive Vice President of Global Licensing for The Trump Organization. Continue Reading »

Just when you thought Sanrio had exhausted the world market by putting its Hello Kitty label on anything and everything possible, the Japanese cartoon character has finagled its way into the realm of fine beverage. And in true Hello Kitty fashion, the company has put its face on a simple and basic commodity (water), and turned it into a cash cow. Continue Reading »

Klaatu… Varata… Nicaragua?

Any self-respecting Army of Darkness fan knows “the words” and how Ash flubs the line when grabbing the Necronomicon, but no one I know has ever combined the movie with fine beverage…until now. Continue Reading »

You may or may not be old enough to remember the classic Pepsi commercial from 1995 that features a Pepsi driver dropping into a diner for a bite and meeting a Coke delivery driver at the lunch counter. They hit it off just great until the Pepsi driver offers the Coke man a can of his cola. Well, lets just say the Pepsi driver had to get his soda back forcefully. Continue Reading »

These days, gourmet food trucks all are the rage. In fact, one can find just about any type of cuisine on a truck. The one thing lacking from the food truck scene, however, is fine beverages. Well, until now. Continue Reading »