Supplies for Tea Distributors and Wholesalers

Accessing supplies and accessories for tea products sold by wholesale tea distributors
By Beth Shumate Tea product wholesalers should be well-versed not only in the wide selection of tea varieties on the market, but also in the supplies available for packaging, producing and serving tea. Some tea distributors focus strictly on providing a variety of teas to their customers. Others choose to expand their businesses by offering accessories and production and consumption supplies.

Supplies for tea distributors and wholesalers include everything from merchandising items like special tea product packaging, store displays and custom shippers to production items like teapots, brewers and dispensers. Serving items like cups, straws and lids are also good to stock to provide to your customers as well.

1. Find quality wholesale teas and merchandising supplies to offer, while familiarizing yourself with all the loose tea, bagged tea and tea flowers that are available.

2. Add production supplies to the inventory you offer clients to help sales and ensure proper use of your tea distribution company's products.

3. Provide the items your clients need when serving the tea they buy from your tea wholesale company.

Offer quality wholesale teas and appropriate merchandising supplies to your clients

Before deciding which wholesale teas to carry, you need to decide whether you want to carry loose tea, bagged tea, specialty teas like organic blends or tea flowers for tearooms, sushi, Asian cuisine or other cafes, or even specialty food stores. You may also choose to carry mass-consumable tea like that sold by restaurants or convenience stores in industrial tea brewers. If selling your products to grocery or specialty food or kitchen shops, you'll also want to consider merchandising supplies or display racks for your products.
Try:  Adagio Teas Wholesale sells loose, bagged and other teas to tea wholesalers in a wide variety including black, herbal, green, flavored and oolong teas. Island Teashop provides a wide assortment of teas at bulk or wholesale pricing. Look to Primula Products for wholesaling opportunities of tea flowers and the tea supplies needed to make this specialty tea. Wireline.net offers standard display units as well as customized displays based on your specifications and imagination.

Provide your clients with the proper production tools they need to make the wholesale teas you sell

For your customers to properly make the teas they buy from you, you as the tea distributor can offer them the right production tools for brewing or steeping tea. You can either sell them these supplies or include them as an incentive for a certain sized order.
Try:  RestaurantEquipment.com sells 3 and 5-gallon commercial tea brewers. Short Order carries the Bunn-O-Matic iced tea brewer and recommends dispensers and filters you can buy from them for this equipment. Buy stainless steel iced tea brewers and dispensers as well as drop-in water softening and filtering cartridges from Coffee Wholesale USA. Fante's Kitchen Wares Shop sells specialty items for hot tea like infusers, filters, tea balls and strainers, good options for loose tea distributors to carry.

Offer the appropriate serving supplies to your tea distribution company's customers

Whether your customers serve mainly hot tea, iced tea or only cold beverages to go, they'll need the proper serving teacups, glasses or disposable cups for the type of tea they serve.
Try:  Buy glassware, plastic tumblers, drink station dispensers and cup management holders for the dispensing of disposable cups from National Hospitality Supply. QwikStock.com carries a wide range of hot and cold cups, stirrers, straws, beverage carriers and even "green" options of all these items. For whimsical to elegant tea service options, order teapots, tea sets, Asian teaware and tea kettles from The Stash Tea Company.

• Tea wholesale distributors should be well-versed in all the tea varieties they carry as well as the proper ways to prepare and serve it. Being knowledgeable in "all things tea" adds depth to the customer service you provide.