Herbal tea continues to grow in popularity and supplying it is a great way to make your coffeehouse or restaurant stand apart. While your competitors may only offer a few basic types of tea, you can indulge your customers with their favorite herbals—and help them discover new varieties they'll return for again and again.

Unlike black or green tea, herb tea is created from any plant except the tea plant (Camellia sinensis), usually by pouring boiling water over the plant parts (fresh or dried flowers, leaves, seeds or roots). In addition to tasting great, natural herbal tea has long been used for medicinal purposes. For example, some herb tea is said to relax or energize drinkers. In order to offer your customers a great assortment of herbal teas:

1. Discover trusted tea distributors who sell herbal tea wholesale.

2. Buy herbal teas, ordering samples to quality test yourself.

3. Promote your line of gourmet herb tea to your customers.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Select a herbal tea distributor specializing in herbal teas

Herbal tea distributors--not just companies specializing in black tea and offering herb tea on the side--will offer the highest quality and best selection. For practical purposes, choose teas in tea bags, unless you'll be selling tea to serious tea drinkers.

I recommend: The Stash Tea Company is widely recognized as a reliable tea distributor, offering a variety of black tea, herbal tea and accessories. The Republic of Tea is a herbal tea supplier, carrying wholesale products in both tea bag and loose form. Celestial Seasonings is another well-known company providing bagged herbal teas wholesale. In addition, TeaGschwendner carries a nice variety of herbal teas at wholesale prices.

Showcase herb tea accessories to increase profits

Herbal tea lends itself to an array of 'go with' accessories that can increase sales and profits. Have fun! Unusual and intriguing accessories are more likely to encourage your customers to try something new.

I recommend: Numi Organic Tea will delight your customers not only with the taste of herbal tea, but with sachets that "bloom" when steeped in water. GloryBee Foods Inc. offers excellent honey sticks to sweeten any customer's day. Epicurean Foods International Inc. sells tea toppers (in flavors such as apple cinnamon and caramel) and tea biscuits.

Store your herbal tea properly

Please your customers even more by ensuring your herbal tea selection stays fresh. Store teas in double-lidded, airtight canisters kept out of the sun in a cool, but not damp, location.

I recommend: Exodus Trading Co., Inc. offers simple but effective tea storage canisters. EnjoyingTea.com provides a wider variety of tea storage units.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  In the summer months, make your herbal tea business stand out by offering iced herbal tea to your customers. Brew as you normally would, but use an extra tea bag or rounded (instead of level) spoonfuls of leaves. When the tea is room temperature, ice it.