CHILE
Latin America is not marked by strong tea cultures. There are pockets of excellence. Colombia is growing some fine teas. Innovations in herbal teas from the rich plant diversity of the Andes and Amazon are increasing rapidly. Brazil, once a major producer of tea, is rediscovering it. But the more general pattern is limited choices, lack of consumer knowledge and interest, and low consumption per capita.
That’s why it is such a pleasant surprise to come across a top-rate tea house like The Tea Connection in Santiago, the capital of Chile with a population of 7 million. It is dominated by the Andes mountains on its horizon. The Tea Connection is sited on a corner in the busy developing section of the city, Providencia. It provides a pleasant functional ambiance, designed for people to eat small dishes and drink tea, properly brewed and served in pots, as it should be.
There’s a good mix of inventory, including for instance a superior Russian Caravan and a tea that in itself constitutes an index of taste and expertise: a zippy, balanced, and fresh Yunnan gold tips. At a guess, the provider is one of the top German firms that are strong in Latin America. (Imports from the EU are tariff-free.)
There is no distinct beverage culture in Chile. Tea consumption is higher than in most of Latin America, around .73 kilos per capita (under one cup a day) versus .21 for Argentina and near zero for Mexico and Peru. The dominant drinks are very sweet sodas – plenty of Coca-Cola and even more Bilz and Pap – very fruity, a sort of liquid jello in taste. The coffee is about as low end as the bean could produce: Nestle Instant dominates the national market. Starbucks arrived only in 2003 and by 2010 had 40 stores in 3 cities.
The Tea Connection seems a signal of a small but growing international trend:
- Locate a tea house in the center of a large city with a strong flow of tourists and a workforce with growing incomes.
- Use food as an attraction for people who are unfamiliar with tea.
- Provide a menu of tea choices that cover the main types of flavor and customer interest: some classic black teas, greens targeted to the increasing wellness buyer segment, slightly unusual ones such as a few oolongs but not a barrage of exotic fruit and herbs run wild, and marsala chais – increasingly the international common ground among tea, coffee, and herbal lovers.
- Keep the ambiance comfortable, convenient and unobtrusive. It should be invitational and functional not a Las Vegas interior decorator’s fantasy.
- Recognize that the best way to build a reputation for tea is to offer fine classics rather than fads and exotic blends.