What’s New at Fava

We have always considered Fava Tea Company to be a service-driven company, and we’re happy to say that this will never change! Nothing brings us more joy than getting to share our love of tea with you, the wonderful and loyal customers we are thankful for every single day. But we’re also always looking for new ways to grow, and that can occasionally also mean change. If you have ordered online or shopped in-store lately, you may have already noticed one of the ways we’re modifying our operation while striving to maintain the same experience you know and love.

For the entirety of the 17 years Fava Tea Company has been open, we have been proud to hand-scoop every bag of loose leaf tea you take home, and we’re still incredibly proud to say that every bag you purchase is hand-scooped. The difference? Our team is hard at work bagging your favorite teas at our beautiful blending facility in Neenah, Wisconsin, and we are slowly phasing out hand-scooping operations in our stores. We recognize that change can be difficult, but we’re also incredibly excited about the wealth of possibility that comes with this new format and wanted to share some of the ways this benefits every person who walks through our door.

What sizes are available?

Many of our teas are, as of this fall, still offered hand-scooped by the whole ounce, but several of our best-sellers and seasonal offerings have already begun the transition to pre-packaged bags, with some now exclusively offered in this format. While this does eliminate the option to purchase by the individual ounce, we’re also dedicated to providing you with options. That’s why we’re working diligently to create a TEAser for each tea we stock! These sample-size packages typically include 0.35 ounces of loose leaf tea, and brew roughly 24 ounces per package, offering a quick and easy way to try a tea before purchasing a larger amount.

And speaking of larger amounts, we’re also happy to offer 4-ounce and 16-ounce (1 pound) packages of each blend. These sizes are our most-requested, and each 4-ounce package brews roughly 24-32 traditional 8-ounce cups of tea. That’s roughly 16 mugs, depending on the size of your favorite cup, and we still recommend one teaspoon of loose leaf tea for every eight ounces of water you brew with. If you’re still unsure about heading home with 4-ounces, ask one of our fantastic tea associates to make you a cup to try in-store! We can brew anything in stock both hot and cold for $4.50 plus tax, which gives you another way to try our delicious teas!

How does this impact freshness?

Since beginning our transition, we’ve had a few customers already note that their tea tastes a little different even though we haven’t changed anything about the blends! What we have changed is the freshness quality of each tea, a natural benefit of pre-packaging at our blending facility. Because the teas go directly from the blender to the bag and are then heat sealed to preserve quality, we’ve noticed that they often taste fresher than when we hand-scoop in-store! With less exposure to the elements, we can often recommend that the lifespan of your loose leaf tea can stretch beyond what it has previously. Tea typically doesn’t go bad as long as it’s stored correctly (in a cool, dark, dry, sealed container or bag), but with our pre-packs preserving their flavor, they can maintain their best taste for as long as 18-24 months! We also regularly rotate our stock for blends still offered in the tin and in pre-packs to make sure that no matter how you purchase, you’re getting the best quality loose leaf tea possible!

How does this impact cost?

Along with ensuring a higher level of freshness for every cup of tea, pre-packaging our blends also allows us to deliver your tea at a more efficient cost. In the face of ever-increasing prices, we want to do everything we can to offer our premiere loose leaf teas at a level that remains as affordable as possible. Because pre-packaging blends makes for a more streamlined process, we are often able to provide additional cost savings that are passed directly onto you, the tea drinker.

All TEAsers are priced at $2.50, but 4-ounce and 16-ounce packages vary depending on the tea. We do, however, build discounts directly into their price, so the more you buy, the better the deal! Often, the discounts we’re now able to offer on pound packages are better than the 20% discount we’ve offered previously.

Can we still reuse bags?

If you’ve been with us for more than 5 years, you may recall an option to refill bags and tins in subsequent visits. While this policy has changed and we are no longer able to refill any vessel brought into our store at the recommendation of local regulatory authorities, we are happy to note that transitioning to pre-packaged bags does help reduce our environmental footprint! By pre-packaging in larger sizes, we’re reducing the number of bags used on a regular basis. Pre-packs also eliminate much of the opportunity for error and spilled tea during the filling process which, in turn, also cuts down on waste. It’s just one of the ways we’re taking steps to reduce our impact on the environment!

What does this mean for my in-store experience?

One of the reasons we’re most excited about transitioning to this new format is the ability it gives us to spend more time with you sharing our love of tea! Hand-scooping is a time-intensive process, and takes up much of the valuable time we have with our guests, who we have and always will consider family. Since introducing pre-packaged bags, we’ve already noticed an increase in the efficiency of your sales experience, and the time we used to spend scooping can now be utilized to help you find your perfect blend. The best part of our job is getting to connect with you, and we’re delighted by the prospect of getting to do more of that soon!

When you visit us in-store, you can still find the Tea Menus we’ve utilized for many years, which includes a listing of our entire Signature Line of loose leaf tea. We’ve also introduced a Seasonal Brochure that outlines our Spring/Summer and Fall/Winter seasonals, so you can have a better idea of when your favorite might be back in stock! Be sure to grab one the next time you stop by!

Again, we know that change can be difficult, but we want to extend our endless gratitude to everyone who makes Fava their go-to tea store. We will always be dedicated to providing you with tea that tastes good and is good for you, offering unique blends that encourage a sense of exploration, and exceptional service that truly makes you feel like a part of our Fava Family.