Joy's Teaspoon debuts summer teas

Joy's Teaspoon, a Las Vegas-based tea company, was the very first company profile on Keen Tea Thyme. The wonderful Naomi Rosen, owner, agreed to be interviewed for the company profile and even sent me some of her teas to sample - all while very, very pregnant! Now that's tea devotion. :)

She was also one of the first to respond to my call for help on a story about this year's World Tea Expo, which ended up not working out (my story, I mean; the expo went off without a hitch). Next year I'll try again, and see about getting in touch with the expo folks...

Anyhoo... I've always got a spot in my heart for Naomi & Joy's Teaspoon. This month she's debuting some new summer teas and helping out less fortunate children in Sri Lanka. How does she do it?!

Check out her story about meeting up with a woman named Kumari and her husband Sumedha, owners of the Morawaka Estate in Southern Province, Sri Lanka. Morawaka Estate is a tea manufacturing company which produces some of the world's finest tea while employing thousands of local workers.

In Naomi's article, she discusses her first impression with Kumari and the terrific goodwill work the Morkawaka Estate does, not only for mankind but the world at large.

So she's helping out too - Joy's Teaspoon is offering two Morkawaka teas exclusively: Ceylon Morawaka OP1 and BOP1! (Click on the links to purchase.)

Other new teas available at Joy's Teaspoon include:

• Blue Beauty Oolong: a blend of licorice root and ginger
• Se Chung Oolong: a "colorful variety" of green, black and oolong teas with long-lasting infusability (Joy's Teaspoon recommends at least four infusions!)

There are also some new accessories in the "What's New" section. AND she's updated her Sale Section too. One of my Joy's Teaspoon staples, Perfect World, is on sale so I'm gonna have to place an order soon. :)

For more information about Joy's Teaspoon, visit the web site here or check out her blog, Joy's Jabberings. Her blog includes a journal from her experiences at the World Tea Expo!

Joy's Teaspoon - Co. Profile for March/April 2011

Company Profile for March/April 2011

There is joy in tea for Naomi Rosen, the creative force behind the new company, Joy's Teaspoon. The Las Vegas-based tea and spice company exists mainly in the online format - for now. But who is Joy? And where did this new company come from?

Naomi says she loves when people ask who Joy is. "Joy was my incredible mom who would have loved this company and what we are doing." Sadly, Naomi lost her mother in 2003, so the company is in her memory. Naomi says that while her mother did drink tea occasionally and cook with rare spices, the idea for Joy's Teaspoon's products weren't really inspired by her. But the idea of creating a tea company and joining the tea-lover community fits her mom's legacy. "She was all about friends and family and any reason to gather together." Joy's Teaspoon strives on that goal. "Joy's primary mission in life was to spend precious time with family and friends and we value the ability of our teas and spices to do just that."

Originally from Southern California, Naomi says she got the idea for starting her own store after visiting her sister in Chicago shortly after her mother passed away. "She was showing me around this cute little town she lived in. We walked from boutiques to a tea merchant to a spice house...and I loved the whole main street concept." That trip started her love of tea; she began drinking the teas she purchased there and the next few Christmas and birthday gifts were from that shop. Naomi fed her tea addiction by combing the internet for tea and spice production. "What innocently started out as fun little hobby became a passion for knowledge," Naomi says. After a visit to the World Tea Expo in Las Vegas, she and her husband started tossing the idea around. 

But family came first. Naomi gave birth to her first son and her family settled into life with a newborn, the idea still rolling around. Eventually Naomi and her husband decided to give it a try and officially opened Joy's Teaspoon in April 2010.

The company will be about a year old in April - and has been a success so far, thanks to Naomi's social marketing skills and reception in the online tea community. Joy's Teaspoon offers some of the best, high quality teas available. While there is no physical store, Naomi says the company does have two retail partners that carry a condensed version of the products - Ganesha Center and the Spirit Within U. Naomi says operating a physical location would be a challenge. With the economic climate it's a tough time around the country - as anyone knows.

Plus, Naomi is expecting her second son (due any minute, possibly as I write this article!). "I adore being a mom," Naomi says. "I worry that opening a physical location would take entirely too much time away from them. So for now we function successfully online!"

So what kinds of tea does Joy's Teaspoon offer? Joy's Teaspoon offers an array of tea from oolong to herbal. First off, Naomi says she doesn't blend the tea herself at all. "The majority of my vendors are quite talented on their own merits and I do no pretend to know how to blend better than they!" Joy's Teaspoon strives for quality with a capital "Q." She samples everything she sells, and keeps other factors in mind, such as a environmentally friendly focus. "Every effort is made to recycle as many materials as we can including paper, cardboard, ink cartridges, and glass and metal product containers."   Check out the Web site for more information on the JOYful Environmental Program.

Naomi has spent the past few months getting the word out about her tea company - and doing what Joy's Teaspoon does best, meeting with others about tea. She is the primary administrator of the Las Vegas/Henderson Tea Lovers Group (a badge proudly displayed on her Web site). "I enjoy taking advantage of being able to sit down with my neighbors and enjoy a cup of tea." The group sponsors tea tasting events through Las Vegas and Henderson through libraries, health and spiritual living centers and we partnering with local businesses. "It's a great opportunity to share with those around me that have similar interests or are curious about the wide world of tea."

Naomi is happy to share her wisdom on Joy's Teaspoon too; she sends out a newsletter every month or so updating customers on new tea and spice additions, upcoming events and industry news. 

She didn't start Joy's Teaspoon solely for profit, Naomi adds. The company was "a way for me to share my passion with the people around me. I have made some great friendships via this industry. The information I have collected, for my own little mind, has made me much more passionate about the products I carry and use on a daily basis." Naomi explains that her hope is for Joy's Teaspoon to grow into a solid business that can provide opportunities for her children in the future.

Naomi Rosen's life is so different than it was a year ago, before Joy's Teaspoon was a reality. "Since launching Joy's Teaspoon, my life is non-stop and I wouldn't have it any other way. I love the challenge of launching a web-based business and yet still finding personal ways to connect with fellow tea drinkers and home chefs," Naomi says.

Join Naomi on Joy's Teaspoon, or check out what people are saying about her teas on steepster.com. Try some of the teas available or just browse Joy's Teaspoon's Web site to see what's available. Just make sure you follow Joy's Teaspoon's motto: put a little JOY in your life.

Update 4/4/11: Joy's Teaspoon turns one year old! YAY! At the same time, Naomi and her family welcomed a new baby to the family, little Gavin. In celebratory mode, Naomi is offering up an anniversary sale for the month of April, so get these deals while you can: http://joysteaspoon.com/prices-drop.php.

Moroccan Mint - Joy's Teaspoon

Quick Notes - Joy's Teaspoon:

Site: http://joysteaspoon.com/

E-mail: naomi@joysteaspoon.com

Toll-free: 866-795-1411

Online community: www.blog.joysteaspoon.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/#!joystsp

Twitter: @JoysTeaspoon

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/naomi-rosen/8/467/838

Meetup.com: http://www.meetup.com/Las-Vegas-Henderson-Tea-Lovers/

Steepster: http://steepster.com/teas/joys-teaspoon

Photo/Logo used with permission.

Page Info:

This page is dedicated to company profiles. The Page Tab will be the company's name. Please note, I receive no money - nor even free tea! - from highlighting these companies. These articles are based on interviews and e-mails with the owners/proprietors. Please note this marketing tool is meant for smaller, individual companies.

Every other month, Keen Tea Thyme will feature a tea company profile. March/April, May/June, July/August, Sept/Oct, Nov/Dec. After the company's profile changes to the next month(s), the profile will become a regular post and will stay in the archives.

If you'd like your tea company to be featured, or there's a company you'd like to see here e-mail me for terms, guidelines and more info: keenteathyme@gmail.com. 

Welcome - we are live!

It's official! Keen Tea Thyme is awake, live and active so let's roll!

What kinds of things can you find here? So far, there have been some investigations - as well as some commentary - on a few items: the new Tea Trade Web site and why rooibos gives us headaches, for example. Please feel free to leave your comments on both!

Most important to mention is the Battle between bagged tea and loose. Check out the post today; post your comments, pros and cons of both, if there are "better" bags for the environment, etc. This year-long battle begins today so let's get started!

Alice's Tea Party has a few "guests" - check out the teas available in the theme. Post any other Alice related teas you find.

Take the poll to let me know what else you want to see here! (Poll located on the right-hand side of the screen.)

Also, since it is officially March 1 and this blog is active, it's time for the March/April contest - tea haiku! Post away and vote on your favorites. Winner receives either a gift certificate for tea or a selection of tea (details still being worked out).

What you can expect in the next few weeks...
-Irish Breakfast: St. Patty's Day & tea history (article)
-Joy's Teaspoon company profile - who's behind this new tea company?
-Tea-stain art - what is it? Check back to see what this brilliant Canadian artist is doing next.
-More bargains and tea scores, updated weekly so check back often
-A Tea Word Search - by the end of March
-For the Environment: which tea bags are best for Mother Earth
-Tea leaf readings (for fun, based on the kind of tea you enjoy) will begin in April
-So much more!

Is there something else this blog needs? Let me know! E-mail me at keenteathyme@gmail.com

Enjoy your "thyme" here, all of you "keen" on tea!