California Business Owners Embrace Higher Minimum Wage by Selling Organic, Fair Trade Teas & Coffee

COSTA MESA, Calif. - June 26, 2014 - PRLog -- Tastea is a super-fun tea and coffee bar often described as “crack in a cup”, which is accompanied by a unique and eclectic menu of handcrafted beverages and yummy food items.  Tastea, which recently opened its third location in Costa Mesa, California, is launching its new line of organic, fair trade teas and coffees on June 25th as a way to promote better products to customers and to improve the quality of life for its employees. http://www.tastea.net/home

“Direct trade means we have a personal relationship extending from us to our coffee selector all the way to the very hands who harvest our coffee beans, to ensure ethical practices of fair pay and environmentally sustainable practices,” said Ted Vu of Tastea. “We support raising the minimum wage and fair pay for our workers. We are one of few companies who give Paid Time Off (PTO) to our team members regardless how many hours they work and have always hired at a pay scale above minimum wage.  By incorporating  fair trade teas and direct trade coffees into all of our locations, we take our employee support policy a step further to ensure the very people harvesting the products for our drinks are ethically sustained.”

Tastea took a Pro-Rate Increase stance on California’s minimum wage issue earlier in 2014, but has always been pro-employee.  The company’s drinks did fall subject to a minor price increase (the first one in six years) but all remain less costly when compared to the prices charged by Starbucks and other competitors.

“The flavor of the drinks has amplified with the use of our fair trade teas and coffees. Nobody in our industry is even thinking to use organic, fair trade high end tea and coffee because they are always so focused on providing a cheap value. Not us, we are creating our own market because we know there are people who appreciate superior products and who will get behind a pro-employee campaign, such as ours. Our prices aren’t even that high. Cheaper than Starbucks any day of the week. Not to mention Tastea is the only company in our industry with a loyalty program that rivals those of much larger fortune 500 companies – giving them more bang for their buck,” finished Vu.

Members of the media are encouraged to contact Ted Vu for an in-depth conversation on corporate responsibility to both employees and the environment, as well as how small price increases can result in a bigger positive social impact (not a bigger profit) when it comes to education, community and employee relations.

About: Tastea is one of Southern California’s fastest growing fun and exotic drink chains. The company is known for flavored iced teas and smoothies, including "Peach Me Sweetea," which is made with peach and strawberry tea and "Ooh La La," a coconut and pineapple smoothie with strawberries.

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Helene Vece

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