No tea leaves unturned

If Northwest coffee drinkers stop ordering that afternoon espresso and look around for a cup of tea, Marji Thompson and Mary Kuney will be there, waiting for the order.

The two Spokane women launched Summit Tea Co. last year to tap their common interests in traveling, drinking tea and testing their entrepreneurial skills.

Just this week the two co-owners left for a three-week shopping trip to China. As serious tea hunters know, China is the proverbial land of milk and oolong.

“Most people haven’t tasted the very best teas, because too often they’re buying lower-quality teas that have sat on the shelf for months or that are not from the best leaves,” said Thompson.

Their first stop will be the busy West Lake area near the city of Hangzhou, the only region in China that grows Dragon Well green tea, one of that country’s all-time favorites.

When Richard Nixon went to China in 1972, Chinese leader Mao Zedong served Dragon Well tea during their first formal meeting.

The initial order of Dragon Well tea that Thompson and Kuney brought in to Spokane sold out in several months.

Their second China trip is also about building relationships with growers of good teas, said Thompson. “We want to round out the types of teas we have, to find some new teas. We probably need to find a few more good oolong teas,” she said.

Added Kuney, “Selling tea is a lot like selling wine. People like to start with something sweet, then develop a taste for other types of tea.”

For Summit Tea that means having an assortment of palate-friendly teas, such as blends called Sweet Grey Brulee or Decaf Vanilla Mint Bliss. Both those specialty blends come by way of a French company Thompson and Kuney use to get more exotic varieties of tea.

At the other end of the flavor spectrum are the traditional Asian favorites: various green teas, Lapsang souchong and the better types of oolongs.

Just as young Chinese are flocking to Starbucks stores popping up in their country, more Americans are developing a taste for fragrant green and smoky dark teas.

Thompson and Kuney say they want Summit to imitate its name, reaching high volumes of sales and presenting quality teas that make people think twice about what they’re drinking.

“We want the company to become big. We want to see how successful we can become,” Thompson said.

Thompson and Kuney comprise the entire work force. Kuney is the company CEO and Thompson is the president.

After tea orders arrive by plane, the two women meet at their leased office building in the Spokane Airport Business Park to repackage loose leaf into tin containers or four-ounce bags.

Sales take place mostly online for now at www.summittea.com, although they have one retail outlet, at Miaz in Riverpark Square downtown.

A goal for 2006 is to find a supplier of tea bags for teas the company currently sells in whole-leaf form, in large part to increase sales through retail outlets. “Retailers find they can sell more tea in bags,” Thompson said.

Thompson’s affinity for green tea began several years ago, while living in China with her husband, who was working for a U.S. company overseas.

“I drink coffee in the morning,” she said. But like many others in their 40s, she wants a pick-me-up in the afternoon without going to the mat with a heavy dose of caffeine.

“People are looking for the health benefits that green tea has, plus they find green teas keep them going through the day.”