Shane Talbott, Founder of Talbott Teas, is one of the most impressive and evolutionary Entrepreneurs I've met. His hard work, passion, creativity, innovation and dedication show through in watching his work start from a single custom tea bar at Shane's Chicago based salon and grow to a national company. Talbott Teas has also received one of the most successful investments on the Emmy-nominated show ABCs Shark Tank and was acquired by the leading California based beverage company, Jamba Juice, to incorporate Talbott Teas into its stores nationwide. Shane has just debued a new brand called Artistry Tea at the San Francisco Fancy Food show. I enjoy complex, gourmet, natural teas and I was extremelly impressed by the understated complexity of the luxurious flavors I tasted such as Paris Breakfast, Blissful Blueberry, Dazzling Jasmine, and Inspired Chai. I talked with Shane Talbott today about his evolution as an Entrepreneur from his Chicago Tea Bar, his experience in getting an investment on ABCs Emmy Nominated Shark Tank, the Jamba Juice Acquisition and challenge in keeping his creativity in designing new teas, and his new Artistry Tea line. Our Interview is below along with a short video where you can meet Shane yourself! :) Cheers to you Shane and Everyone as I'm toasting with Blissful Blueberry Tea! Per Shane Talbott: "Talbot Teas was created out of my passion and inspiration in the spa industry that I really wanted to pamper and give somebody the experience of luxury and indulgence. That's what Talbot Teas does with our whole leaf. You can see the ingredients are all real pieces of fruit and tea leaves; its the best quality of ingredients you can get. So we started out with Talbot Teas as our luxury line of whole leaf, all natural and organic ingredients, and that's our luxury line. We're also debuing Artistry, our new line and that's going to be our everyday tea drinking made a little more extraordinary with some creative flavor combinations like our Jasmine and Peach, and we've got a great Chai. Our Chai is an indulgent Chai with cardamom, ginger, vanilla and black pepper. I'm really inspired by making everyday tea drinking a more creative. But of course as an Entrepreneur, you've really got to be creative as well in keeping the business going. So part of what we did to keep the business going was to apply to be a part of Shark Tank. With Shark Tank it wasn't easy but you have to be persistent to get on the show and the real exciting part of shark tank was that you have to dive deeper into your business to learn more about yourself. so you learn more about yourself. It really helps you as an entrepreneur develop your business, grow it and get to the next level. Shark Tank was an incredible opportunity that we just couldn't have prepared ourselves for, and it was a dream come true that led us to Jamba Juice, and Jamba Juice ultimately acquired Talbott Teas. It was an incredible opportunity to take our business to that next level and create a relationship we couldn't have done on our own. It was a priceless opportunity that we absolutely recommend and do over again in a heartbeat. Being a part of Shark Tank led us to Jamba Juice, and Jamba Juice felt the same way I did about wanting to make sure that my creativity and inspiration with tea is what I bring to the table. They really wanted me to focus on making everyday tea creative with its flavors, ingredient combinations but also keeping the quality organic and all natural and making all that quality the best we could but still being creative and inspiring. That's what we hope we offer something across the board to everybody; all the way from an everyday tea drinking experience that takes classic teas and embellishes them to the next level, up to a very luxury indulgence full leaf tea experience that really lets you bathe in the quality and luxury. I hope you'll enjoy Talbott Teas." Did you know, the thousands of insects bats eat each night save farmers millions of dollars on insect control and crop damage. That makes bats the most organic form of insect control you can get. They readily devour the pests that eat our food crops and trees and spread disease. Some bats have even been documented to have survived for over 30 years. Most bats are only able to produce one to two pups each year (some species may have up to 4 pups). Unfortunately, right now bats have something to fear themselves – white-nose syndrome (WNS). WNS is a rapidly spreading fungal disease that has resulted in the catastrophic decline of bats throughout eastern North America. Over 5.7 million bats have already died, and because bats are long-lived and produce so few young, it will take many generations for populations to recover from this disease. Read more information about bats, the white-nose syndrome and how you can help here. If you're doing something in particular to help the bats, please share it with our Gratitude Gourmet Facebook Community. Thanks! :) If you're looking for some great organically grown California Pistachios, you need to try AllGood Provisions Brand. They also have sun-dried and sweetened Cranberries, both of which are perfect for the holidays. Allgood Provisions certified organic snacks can be purchased online at Abe's Market, in select Whole Foods and in other retail locations nationally. What are your favorite recipes for Pistachios? My favorite is Roasted Brussels Sprouts With Caramelized Onions and Toasted Pistachios by from "The Vegan Table" by Colleen Patrick-Goudreau. Are you a Foodie and On the Road Alot? Check out the Mobile Foodie Survival Kit - A set of organic seasonings that are essential for any foodie on the go, and assembled by disabled adults at the Mid-Hudson Workshop, a nonprofit organization that gives disabled adults the opportunity to work. Includes thirteen organic herbs and spices, plus wasabi powder for that special kick. Contents: organic basil, organic cayenne, organic curry, organic dill, organic granulated garlic, organic ginger, organic cinnamon, organic oregano, organic thyme, organic granulated onion, sea salt, organic black pepper and wasabi. Dimensions: 9 inches long x 1.5 inches in diameter www.gratitudegourmet.com All-Natural Duchy Originals Benefit Charities Through The Prince of Wales's Charitable Foundation10/2/2012
Have you tried Original Oaten Biscuits from Duchy Originals, where profits benefit charities through The Prince of Wales's Charitable Foundation? This product is an example of the message Prince Charles gave in his Documentary, Harmony, where I was on a conference call with the Executive Producers. See my article on the Harmony Documentary here. The Prince has an initiative called Dutchy Originals which acts a lot the way Newman’s Own does where natural and organic products are sold and proceeds are given to charities. Named after the Duchy of Cornwall estates, Duchy Originals was launched in 1990. Their first product, the oaten biscuit, was launched in 1992. They grew the wheat and oats themselves on Home Farm, before sending it just down the road to Shipton Mill, where they were stone-ground. As the biscuits have grown in popularity, they've expanded the number of farms used for wheat and oats. They're all from organic farms in the UK and most grow a traditional variety of wheat called Maris Widgeon - which grows unusually tall. As a result, it gives protection to native birds and insects while preventing weeds without the need for pesticides. And by the way, these biscuits are delicious! Wanderlust's core mission is to create community around mindful living and brings yoga, music, and dance together in beautiful US environments. A core mission is to Create Awareness because they believe that: "many of the great challenges facing us today, from environmental damage to food shortages to disease to political upheaval, can be improved or solved through mass action. But mass action requires awareness, so wherever possible, we will use the Wanderlust platform to highlight -- and with luck, resolve -- the most important issues of our time." I was fortunate to attend last year's Wanderlust Squaw Valley in Lake Tahoe for one day last year. It was amazing to practice yoga at Squaw High Camp overlooking the gorgeous snow-capped mountains on a sunny California day, BREATHING fresh air, and meeting the most friendly people. In the evening, Winederlust offered local, organic, and biodynamic wine and beer samplings, along with a Music Festival. A Wanderlust video is below including some nice video interviews. This year's Wanderlust California Squaw Valley event is July 26-29. I would advise registering early because the online class schedules get booked very quickly along with the Farm to Table Dinners. We are pleased to announce our newest Gratitude Gourmet Store item, in addition to our Gratitude Gourmet Chocolates and Healthy Monthly Food Deliveries! The Mobile Organic Foodie Survival Kit is a pocket-size set of organic seasonings that are essential for any foodie on the go. It includes thirteen organic herbs and spices, plus wasabi powder for that special Japanese kick. Contents: organic basil, organic cayenne, organic curry, organic dill, organic granulated garlic, organic ginger, organic cinnamon, organic oregano, organic thyme, organic granulated onion, sea salt, organic black pepper and wasabi. Assembled by disabled adults at the Mid-Hudson Workshop, a nonprofit organization that gives disabled adults the opportunity to work. Purchase Here. Credit: Kanon Organic Vodka Here's a great St. Valentines Cocktail Recipe made with organic spirits and fresh strawberries; this cocktail is the perfect mix of sweet and strong for the perfect night cap. 2 1/2 Parts Kanon Organic Vodka 3 Strawberries (cored) 1 Celery Leaf (size of a thumb) Splash Lime Juice Muddle, strain, serve up in a martini glass. Garnish with rose petals. Created by Paul Johnson at the Pierre Hotel in NYC. Gratitude Gourmet Healthy Food Box Join our Gratitude Gourmet Healthy Food Box Monthly Delivery Program, and Receive Free Shipping on deliveries to your home or office. As an added bonus for joining now, you will receive one delicious box of Gratitude Gourmet Vegan Chocolate Pralines as our Valentines Day Gift to you. The Gratitude Gourmet Healthy Food Box Monthly Delivery Program brings you and your family convenient, healthy food items containing vegan and mostly organic sweet, healthy snack, cereal, and soup product surprises for $19.99 each month with free US shipping. The Food Products alternate each month for a fresh surprise. Subscribe on our Gratitude Gourmet Home Page by Clicking HERE, and your first box with your Chocolate Valentines Day Gift will be delivered as soon as possible. Enjoy! Join our Gratitude Gourmet Healthy Food Box Monthly Delivery Program, and Receive Free Shipping on deliveries to your home or office. As an added bonus for joining now, you will receive one delicious box of Gratitude Gourmet Chocolate Pralines as our gift to you for the Holidays. These are convenient, healthy gifts containing vegan and mostly organic sweet, healthy snack, cereal, and soup product surprises for $19.99 each month with free US shipping. SUBSCRIBE on our HOME PAGE HERE, and your first box with your Chocolate Holiday Gift will be delivered as soon as possible for the holidays. Enjoy! |