Storing Your Tea: In Search of a Cool, Dry, and Often Dark Place

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By Joseph Finora When it comes to storing tea, the experts find a lot to agree on. They also find a lot to disagree on, as they explained for this article. Of the things they agree on are the physical properties of most teas, which, thankfully, make storing it a relatively simple procedure. And although tea is hardy-meaning it is shipped, handled, and stored relatively easily, especially the black variety-those in the business, whether they be importers, packers, or retailers, differ over their preferred storage choice.

The main enemy of tea, according to several people interviewed for this article, is light, which they say robs the leaves of their flavor. Others feel very strongly that moisture, is the principle enemy. Still others feel that it is what the tea is stored with or near that will either preserve it in its intended state or alter its aroma and flavor.

"Tea is hygroscopic," says Pam Phipps, vice president at China Products North America, Inc., an importer of fine teas from China and South America since 1972. "This means it absorbs moisture from the air and is quite sensitive to changes in the environment."

At the retail level, Phipps advises, tea should not be stored in glass jars but rather in tightly covered containers. "The classic tea tins, filled to the top and covered, are ideal" says Phipps, who also feels a "several-ply bag with a glassine or foil lining" offers acceptable storage and handling ability. Plastic, Phipps argues, is porous.

For shipping, paper sacks have become the package of choice. "Paper is ecologically sound. Tea is still handled and moved effectively with it. This has become the international choice, but lined, plywood chests are also still used, depending on the country.

All of the tea belonging to the Gertrude H. Ford Tea Co. in Poughkeepsie, New York, is kept out of direct light. "In our retail shop," says president Keith Capollino, "customers like to see the tea in glass jars so we do our best to keep it out of direct light and as cool as possible." The company, founded in 1909, sells tea all over the world through its mail-order business. Its retail shop was opened in 1940 and today serves 35 different blends and varieties to its customers.

Gertrude H. Ford keeps its inventory sealed at all times. "Either shrink-wrapped, in a tin, or in a glass container that's sealed with a gasket is okay. But it must be kept in a cool, dry place with low humidity. And if it's in glass, kept out of direct light."

"Tea is sturdy," says Jim Harron of Simpson & Vail, Inc., a 92-year-old specialty packing firm located in Pleasantville, New York. "That's definitely one of its advantages. It doesn't need refrigeration, just a cool, dry place." Harron is one who feels that moisture, not light is the main thing to avoid when storing tea. "Moisture presents a bigger danger by a bigger margin than does light," Harron says, "because tea absorbs whatever's around it."

Nevertheless, the company actually stores its black, green, and flavored teas in packages that protect it from both elements-moisture and light-and do so on both the wholesale and retail levels. "in our facility, we keep tea in wooden chests but move it into 3-lb. tin cans for the retailer," says Harron. The company's flavored teas are wrapped in plastic bags before being placed into the chest, "so they don't pick up any contaminants." The Harron family took over the company in 1978. Today, Simpson & Vail handles several hundreds of thousands of pounds of tea annually-with most of their sales being in the U.S. and Canada. They have, however, since January of this year, begun exporting to Japan. Most of the tea they handle is from India and Ceylon, and Harron confidently says that sales in all areas are growing.

"We're seeing more and more sales with a lot going to specialty stores and tea rooms. This is very encouraging for the industry."

Despite its names, the S&D Coffee Co., of Concord, North Carolina, handles 5-6 million lbs. of tea annually, and utilizes a relatively basic storage approach. S&D stores all of its tea in jute (a natural plant fiber) or craft-lined bags on pallets. This creates a barrier to keep out the elements," says Charles Morris, the company's logistics manager. "We have one warehouse devoted totally to tea and another for coffee. No other agricultural products are stored there." They do not keep tea in plastic or glass containers. "There is not change (in tea), as long as it is kept from the elements. Tea, unlike coffee, soaks up whatever is in the immediate environment; therefore, proper storage is important, but when it is done right, there are usually no problems."

As his title implies, Morris likes to keep the stock moving but is careful about how it is moved. Nearly all of their tea is imported through Savannah or New Orleans. "We ship our tea in truck or rail containers of tea-only shipments, meaning we do not ship it in the same truckload with coffee. This is especially true with decaffeinated tea. It picks up the smell of the coffee." Morris prefers that his company's tea be inventoried for as short a time as possible, to minimize its chances of coming into contact with sunlight, humidity, water, or temperature changes. "Our inventory is pretty fast-moving," he says, but notes that tea can stay from three to four months in the warehouse before shipment.

S&D has customers in 30 states and service centers in 26 states. It plans to be doing business in all 50 states over the next few years.

Paulette Rigolli, of Blue Ridge Tea & Herb Co., Ltd., located in Brooklyn, New York, says glass and certain plastics make suitable tea containers but advises that dealers must be careful with whatever material they choose to store their tea. Drawing on her 30 years in the business, she shays, "Tea can stay in one place for a year or more. Some warehouses keep it far longer."

"Moisture is my number one concern when storing tea, so glass is the best," she says, "as longs as the temperature stays even and the humidity is not extreme. Plastics are okay, but glass won't yellow or pick up any acid from the tea. Moisture makes tea lose its flavor. Plastic is sometimes porous. And venting must be controlled; it can deplete the flavor and you must watch that insects do not enter through any air holes."

Rigolli believes this is especially true with delicate teas, such as jasmine. "I've never known tea to break down except with a delicate flower-type like jasmine. The flowers can lose their flavor fast especially when plucked early. This also true for scented teas like Earl Grey. Lapsong Souchong is durable, as is smoked tea." The type of tea, Rigolli notes, also plays a role in its storage. "Unlike coffee, tea is not ultrasensitive. Do not store it where it can pick up odors from other things around it, such as spices." She also recommends rotating the stock to "prevent mold and build-up."

Blue Ridge is a specialty tea packer with a large and diverse inventory. "We sell anything that can go into a teabag," she jokes. And the company actually ships packed tea to China, Japan, and Russian -- usually in cardboard boxes wrapped in plastic.

"I'm not a fan of glass to store tea," says Sam Barrows of Barrows Tea Co., headquartered in New Bedford, Massachusetts "Ultraviolet rays from natural or interior lighting destroy the teas' freshness quickly by drying it out. Retailers like glass for display purposes. Shoppers like to see the tea but glass doesn't make sense unless there's very fast turnaround, about one week. Ceramic containers are dark and dry."

The 12-year-old company does not sell retail and ships its tea in either moisture-proof plastic sacks, corrugated boxes lined with plastic, or in tightly closed, traditional wooden tea chests. The bulk of its trade in custom-packed teabags for retailers and distributors in the U.S. Barrows has a few accounts in Canada and hopes to launch an exporting division in the near future.

The company offers custom canisters to retailers carrying their line which currently consist of green and black teas, but Barrows plans to soon add Moning, a north China black tea.

"Green tea," Barrows says, "is more susceptible to the elements, especially moisture, than is black tea. African teas will stay fresh for about six months with good storage. But a first flush Darjeeling will last about six months while a second flush can stay fresh for one to two years."

"We like air-tight ceramic," says Stanley Canstan, a buyer for Baltimore Coffee & Tea Co., Inc. "We keep our tea out of light," he adds. "Amber-colored glass is okay, but clear glass lets in light. Plastic leeches out the tea, depending on the type used. Often it breathes and does not give an air-tight seal. A dry, dark place is generally good." To prevent problems with moisture, the Baltimore Coffee & Tea Co. keeps their inventory in a climate-controlled room where a constant humidity is maintained. The company carrier 500 different varieties of tea, including herbals, black, green teas, and flavored black teas, all of which "store well."

At the Atlanta Coffee & Tea Co., "Tea is stored in paper and then loosely shrink-wrapped in a plastic bag which is then sealed," says Connie Edwards, the firm's general manager. While tea is considered a sideline business at this company, they do carry fine teas, mostly Earl Grey, English Breakfast, Darjeeling, and Assam teas. Less than 5% of Atlanta's business comes from its tea trade.

The verdict remains out on the merits of glass as opposed to plastic and ceramic. Glass' strength is its ability to keep out moisture but obviously it is not light-proof. The other materials also have strengths and weaknesses. Perhaps Gary Shafto, president of Benchley Tea, a Lakewood, New Jersey tea packer has found the almost perfect compromise. "We store our tea in glass containers but keep them away from fluorescent light."

Reprinted from Tea & Coffee Trade Journal, November 1996 with permission.