About Us
Good morning/afternoon ladies and gentlemen my name is Morris Johnson.
I am the CEO of Carib Gold Teas and I'm going to tell you about the innovative range of very tasty, healthy herbal teas my company has developed and that I believe will be a great addition to the selection of beverages that you have at your establishment.
My background is in the music industry, where I have been a successful producer for a number of years, working with legendary reggae artists such as Gregory Isaacs, Dennis Brown and Sugar Minott. I also composed the music for Paypal's worldwide TV advertising campaign, so I've had a varied and rewarding portfolio over time. My label World records has extensive distribution and licensing agreements with major companies such as EMI, Sony and Polygram and distributes physical product in over 30 countries. We are an international imprint well established in the corporate sector.
As much as I love working in music, I've always had a real passion for culture in the wider sense in my native Jamaica. You may not know it but Jamaica has an incredibly rich tradition of herbal teas, primarily because of the abundance of natural ingredients, plants, fruits, herbs and spices on the island that the locals have used to make infusions for many years. This takes us right into the rich folklore of the island as there are mysterious, secret recipes that have been handed down from one generation to the next and really kept alive through our oral culture.
All of this information is not something that can be found in books. It's really the kind of thing that my grandmother talked to me about when I was a small boy growing up in the West Indies. Carib Gold Teas is thus a celebration of deeply rooted traditions. Our aim is to deliver to consumers around the world the enormous richness of teas made of the untold number of herbs in the Caribbean. Nobody knows exactly how many of them exist, but we do know that the ones that we have sourced capture the unforgettable character of the islands. Furthermore, they have been used to create a premium product: our tea cartons are made from the best quality boards to store double chamber bags that keep the flavour of each blend as strong, aromatic and fresh as possible. The tags are sealed in printed paper envelopes.
Anyway, I had the idea of taking some of those recipes, updating them and creating something new that will appeal to consumers who want new sensations when they sit down for a cup of tea. Needless to say this has not been an easy task. We employed a team of highly skilled Master Tea blenders who took 11 months to develop our products. So this is a taste of the Caribbean that is different to what people might expect. It's not rum or lager, but tea flavoured with what really defines the island of Jamaica - mangoes, sour sop, cinnamon, and the like.
What I'm going to do now is just talk in more detail about a few of the teas, and invite you to taste them, so you can have a clear idea of the high quality of the product. Every tea has been specially created so as to really have a unique flavour, and the combination of ingredients is something that our R&D team has given great thought.
One of our most popular brands is Coconut & Pineapple. Here we have two fruits very symbolic of the Caribbean that have been brought together to produce something that is both delicious and nutritious. Coconut is part of the staple diet people all over the region, where the fruit is prized for its proteins. The jelly and water have a tonic-like quality that makes it a popular, natural energy drink. As for pineapple it has a high vitamin content that helps the immune system and is also known to have a restorative effect on the body that is particularly welcome for those who suffer from joint pain. The two ingredients make for a superb combination.
Then there is Mango & Lychee. Another one of the iconic fruits of the Caribbean the mango comes in a variety of shapes and sizes, and brings both a sweet taste to our tea as well as a positive effect on digestion and the working of the intestine. The lychee is rich in vitamin C and liable to help build resistance during the harsh winter months. Many medical experts call it a 'super fruit' because it also aid the flow of blood around the body and lead to a healthy weight. Having said that it has a fabulous taste.
One of the truly unique blends in our range is Moringa, sour sop and ginger, which are really the Jewels of the Caribbean when it comes to roots and fruits. Mixed together the three have an absolutely heavenly aroma that significantly enhances the experience of drinking the tea - several senses are engaged at the same time. The properties of each ingredient are also noteworthy. Moringa improves eyesight and joints. Sour sop, the fruit from the evergreen tree, helps to stave off depression and anxiety, while ginger has a sharp kick that is known to be very effective in fighting any minor complains like flu. However, I can't stress enough the originality of the taste of this particular tea: it is really something that is unique to the Caribbean, and likely to appeal to any tea lovers who are looking for something a bit different.
We have also been as adventurous as possible in the way we combine ingredients, and no blend epitomizes that more than Stinging Nettle, Dandelion, Hibiscus, Stevia, Lemongrass, Green tea, Vanilla, Nutmeg, Cinammon, Guinea Hen Weed
No fewer than 9 herbs and spices are fused so as to produce a multitude of flavours and a wide range of benefits to whoever needs a boost when they're weary. In any case if you wanted a plant that is emblematic of the 'folk wisdom' of the Caribbean and South American people then nothing fits the bill better than Guinea Hen Weed, also known as Gully Root. It is particularly valued by rural populations that rely on recipes for treatments made from what is found in woodland and forest.
But you will enjoy new sensations in the form of Peppermint, Black Sage, Sea Moss, Sarsaparilla. This daring and original infusion is also a good 'pick me up' to help combat a challenging moment. Black Sage has long been greatly prized for anti-inflammatory properties that soothe throat infections and promote healthy skin, while Sea Moss is another traditional Caribbean ingredient, trusted for its fibre, which aids a good digestive system. And sarsparilla, a plant found in the Caribbean and Central America, is well known for its sweetness, thus bringing a burst of energy to the tea.
In contrast to the aforementioned mixed blends comes one of the great forms of 'bush tea' that has a single ingredient. Cerasee is made from the bitter melon plant and has been popular in the Caribbean for as long as the sun has been shining. For the most part it is one of the staples of what is broadly known in the west as 'traditional medicine', which essentially means that common people had the wherewithal to use the resources from the land that were available to them in order to maintain their own health by being as resourceful as possible, using whatever nature duly provided.
That's just a small selection of what we have to offer. We have developed 12 very strong flavours that include Ginger, honey, banana, cinnamon & vanilla; Lemon, lime and pineapple, Almond, nutmeg & cinnamon and Green tea, ginseng, honey & Lemon. We are confident that these flavours will meet ever-growing demand for exotic teas that we know exists throughout the world. In the age of globalization and increased choice, consumers are often more adventurous than ever, and we are confident that our premium products can fill an important gap in the market.
All of these teas really uphold the very foundations of West Indian popular culture: the recipes have been used for centuries for culinary and healing purposes and our mission is to both update and improve them, and in due course launch on to a worldwide market. With adequate exposure and greater access to mainstream outlets Carib Gold teas has the potential to achieve success on an international scale, and I very much look forward to taking a step along that very exciting road with you.