World Tea Expo(R) Launches Innovative Program to Help Participants Leverage Rapidly Growing Industry

LAS VEGAS (Map) - LAS VEGAS, March 19 /PRNewswire/ -- Tea sales in the US are expected to exceed a phenomenal $10 billion in 2010 for both beverage and non-beverage categories -- and in 2007 alone, SPINS reports more than 20% growth in sales of Ready-to-Drink (RTD) teas and Mintel Global New Products Database notes 3,095 non-food global new product launches with tea as an ingredient. The statistics confirm that tea is being consumed by more people and in more ways than ever before. As a result, World Tea Expo(R) has designed an Executive & Technical Series(TM) (ETS) in order to help participants leverage the demand by staying up-to-date on changing consumer tastes and industry trends. The cutting-edge program provides crucial information and statistics to top executives, research and development scientists, product formulators and ingredient managers who use tea in a wide range of both beverage and non-beverage applications.

The Series, debuting May 30th-31st, will begin with an intense Super Data Session with presentations from leading data and consumer trend specialists Mintel, International Tea Committee, SPINS and Canadean. The must-attend session for Executives in the industry will give participants insight on new applications and emerging trends -- including food and non-food product applications and functional benefits, tea and RTD tea growth, consumer buying trends, consumption in the context of other beverages and world production statistics. Never before has this group of companies collaborated to provide a data-rich, information-packed presentation on the opportunities available in the tea industry.

Following the data session will be a series of technical sessions covering topics such as the analytical truth behind advertised polyphenol counts, regulatory issues, flavoring trends and product formulation. Well-known and respected industry leaders including Mark Blumenthal of American Botanical Council,

The intellectual property development session will conclude the series with vital information on new product creation -- how to take a concept through strategic, value-adding maturation steps in order to yield a finished product that reproducibly works, cannot be copied by others (without risk of penalty), and can emerge as a category disruptor with economic sustainability.

"The need for high-level content on how to create, launch, label, protect and market new beverage and non-beverage tea products has never existed until recently," commented George Jage, Founder and President of the World Tea Expo(R). "As the largest trade event in the world dedicated to tea, we are excited to work with some of the top thought leaders and pioneers from the natural products industry to create this unique and powerful program for tea."

The World Tea Expo(R) will be held May 30th to June 1st at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas, NV. For more information on the World Tea Expo(R), including a full listing of events and seminars, ETS registration, new features for 2008, a floor plan and an interactive exhibitor directory, visit http://www.worldteaexpo.com.

The World Tea Expo(R) is a robust marketplace that brings together hundreds of new products, the latest industry innovations and relevant, cutting-edge educational sessions, providing tea professionals with a one-stop opportunity to help drive their business, fuel industry growth and encourage further exploration of the art and science of tea. As the first and fastest growing North American trade show dedicated solely to the tea industry -- the World Tea Expo(R) attracts more than 4,500 leading tea professionals, merchandisers, R&D executives, scientists and entrepreneurs annually. The World Tea Expo(R) is produced by SFG Group LLC, headquartered in Las Vegas, NV. For more information, visit http://www.worldteaexpo.com.