Leaves-n-Beans Specialty Coffee Roaster Delights Illinois Tea Lovers With The Simple Leaf Premium Tea

Chicago, IL (PRWeb) March 29, 2007 -- Pekoe Tips, Inc., provider of The Simple Leaf brand of tea, today announced that Leaves-n-Beans Roasting Company, one of Illinois' finest specialty coffee roasters, is now offering customers six delicious varieties of The Simple Leaf gourmet loose-leaf tea. Leaves-n-Beans is making it easier than ever for customers to experience fresh, specialty tea as demand for the drink continues to increase.

According to an industry trade group, the Tea Association of the USA -- tea sales in the United States are now approximately four times what they were a decade ago -- about $6.2 billion annually. Fueling this rise is the belief in tea's numerous health benefits and a desire for a quality product. Recent research in the scientific community has explored the potential health attributes of tea. Many scientists now agree that tea, because it has a high occurrence of antioxidants, may contribute positively to a healthy lifestyle.

Leaves-n-Beans customers are able to choose from some of the most fresh and distinctive single-estate leaf teas from the regions of Darjeeling, Assam, Nepal and Himachal Pradesh. Patrons can enjoy a fantastic tea experience in the cozy and relaxing atmosphere of the Leaves-n-Beans café or even purchase a pouch of tea to take home.

"We are seeing increased demand for tea in our cafes and are very excited about serving The Simple Leaf gourmet brand," said Lori McCombs, owner and president of Leaves-n-Beans Roasting Co. "Our customers will now benefit by having an exciting new selection of gourmet loose-leaf teas to take home or enjoy in our cafe."

Six varieties of The Simple Leaf tea are available at Leaves-n-Beans:

Mountain Malt: A bold, malty and truly distinctive black whole leaf tea from the Assam valley in India. This is a perfect breakfast tea and goes well with milk and a dash of sugar.

Viva en Verde: An earthy and refreshing green tea from the Dooars region in India. The dark leaves produce a bright cup of tea that is perfect for a mid-afternoon treat.

Honeybee: A gentle hand-rolled oolong tea with a trace of honeysuckle aroma from the all-natural Meghma tea estate in Nepal. Honeybee also makes a perfect iced tea.

Mamma Mia: This prized Darjeeling black tea has wonderful floral undertones and a light muscatel aroma. It's from the top-rated Jungpana estate.

Maharani: A delicate green tea with long rolled leaves from the Dharamshala tea estate in Himachal Pradesh, India. It's pleasing, refreshing and makes a perfect evening tea.

Wah!: Another Himachal tea, Wah is a fragrant black tea that is grown in the Kangra valley in Himachal Pradesh. It brews up a light and lemony-yellow cup that can be savored all day long.

"Working with Leaves-n-Beans marks a key milestone in making the image of premium tea friendlier and more accessible to consumers across the country," said Nikhil Roychowdhury, founder and president of Pekoe Tips. "Fine tea can be such a complex drink, much like fine wine. Often when we speak to customers they tell us that they are turned off by what they perceive to be an elitist marketing approach on the part of many tea companies. That's why we're doing all we can to make sure that we put a friendlier face on gourmet tea. We'd rather focus on freshness and taste, than fancy terminology."

In preparation for the launch, Pekoe Tips conducted a tasting and brewing workshop for the staff and employees of Leaves-n-Beans. "One of the keys to successfully serving gourmet tea in a retail setting is to make sure that employees are educated and excited about the tea they serve, its origins, and how to prepare it. When a customer requires a helping hand, a knowledgeable salesperson can do a lot to enhance his or her experience and keep the customer coming back. Offering tea training and education to clients like Leaves-n-Beans is a core part of our offering. We're not selling a commodity, we're providing a true sensory experience," Nikhil adds.

About Leaves-n-Beans Roasting Co.
Leaves-N-Beans Roasting Co. has been in the coffee and tea business for over 20 years. It currently offers more than 70 different coffees from all over the world. These coffees include single origins, blends, Certified Fair Trade & Organics, flavored and water processed decaffeinated coffee as well. Roasting in the tradition of a vintage drum-style micro-roastery, we are a small batch roaster assuring attention to detail and freshness. We back up our fresh coffee offerings with a focus on our customers; paying as much attention to our customers as we do the coffee we supply them. In addition to our standard menu of coffees, we can also duplicate a favorite blend or flavored coffee. At Leaves-N-Beans Roasting Co. we continuously strive to offer the latest and most popular flavored coffees available. If you would like more information about our wholesale program please contact Lori McCombs at lmccombs @ leavesnbeans.com. Additional information can also be obtained from the Leaves-n-Beans website at http://www.leavesnbeans.com.

About Pekoe Tips, Inc.
Pekoe Tips was founded in 2006 with one simple goal: to help people appreciate the inherent simplicity of a great cup of tea. Based in Chicago, Illinois, Pekoe Tips, Inc. markets several varieties of fresh, premium whole-leaf tea under The Simple Leaf brand name. Through direct relationships with tea growers, blenders and tasters, Pekoe Tips is able to import and deliver high quality fresh tea to consumers and specialty retailers alike. Pekoe Tips is committed to strategically growing its business and enhancing its offerings while maintaining an unrelenting focus on total customer satisfaction. For more information about Pekoe Tips and The Simple Leaf tea, please contact Nikhil Roychowdhury at info @ thesimpleaf.com. Additional information can also be obtained from The Simple Leaf website at http://www.thesimpleleaf.com.

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