The Tea Assembly offers the people of Waterford and surrounds the ultimate tea shop experience as it serves over fifty types of tea, blends teas on site and holds tea master classes in its city centre locale.
Since Isabella Melvey opened the Michael Street doors of Waterford’s first dedicated tea shop in March she has noted how sophisticated and receptive Waterford consumers are to new tastes and blends.
Isabella, a certified Tea Master, started the enterprise based purely on her love of a good cuppa. “My mum instilled in me, not only the joys of a good cup of tea, but also the health benefits.”
“Irish people drink on average four cups of tea a day, so there certainly is a demand for it. However, tastes have broadened and we are finding that our customers are open to trying new things, such as the ranges of Oolong, chai or green teas.”
“We are fortunate to be located in the tourist hub of the city and a lot of our customers are visiting the city for the first time. The Americans tend to choose the green and berry teas, while their UK counterparts are big fans of black teas, such as Earl Grey, Carnival and the Blarney Blend – which has a strong, brisk flavour that sets you up for the day!”
Not only do the wide ranges of teas provide a new experience for the palate, they come with a wide range of health benefits. Chai teas are renowned for cooling body temperature, berry teas are packed with Vitamin C, green tea is a rich source of antioxidants and in China it is a widely held belief that Oolong tea can combat depression and anxiety.
The Tea Assembly also holds one-to-one Tea master classes in which participants can learn about the history of tea, provenance of the world’s teas, taste differentiation, health benefits and of course, the art of the perfect cup of tea.
Ciaran Cullen, Chief Executive, Waterford City Enterprise Board has worked with Isabella in the start up phase. “The Tea Assembly brings a unique proposition to the hospitality sector in Waterford. Isabella has combined her love and knowledge of tea and delivered a quaint tea shop experience in the heart of Waterford City – a must for any tea lover.”
If you are interested in finding out more about the Tea Assembly’s Master Class, call 051 584883 or find Tea Assembly on Facebook and Twitter.
If you have a start- up idea talk to Waterford City Enterprise Board by calling 051 852883 or go to www.waterfordceb.com.