Beware of Discount Gourmet Teas

Many discount department stores like TJMaxx, Marshalls, and Ross Dress for Less have gourmet food sections. In them you can find condiments, jams, spices, baked goods, coffee and gourmet tea.

From time to time premium gourmet tea can be found on the shelves at bargain prices. Care should be taken when purchasing these gourmet teas as well as other foodstuffs. Here are some things to consider.

The Discount Store

Discount stores are filled with last season merchandise, manufacturer’s over-runs and “seconds”. While these stores are great for purchasing clothing and home décor, you might want to re-consider when making a gourmet tea purchase. Premium quality gourmet teas should be purchased from reliable specialty distributors and retailers in the tea industry.

Product Placement

Discount stores tend to place tea next to herbs, spices and other foodstuffs. I’ve actually seen gourmet tea bags placed on a shelf next to garlic and chili peppers. Strong aromas from these items can significantly impact the flavor of tea.

Freshness

Always check the dates on packages of tea before making a purchase. The uninformed will tell you that it doesn’t matter how long tea has been on the shelf because it doesn’t spoil. This is not true. It does matter. When properly stored, tea can remain fresh for up to one year. After that time, it begins to lose its flavor, and depending on the packaging may even lose color as well.

I’m not saying that you shouldn’t purchase gourmet tea from discount stores; I am saying that you should consider the above three things before doing so. When shopping at discount stores I have found some great bargains on gourmet teas that turned out not to be true bargains after all.