Guam farmer Sharon Bidaure participates in a special tea-tasting presentation at a conference hosted by the University of Guam Farmer Focus Program on Oct. 29, 2024, at the Hyatt Regency Guam. (Photo courtesy of the University of Guam)
Farmers, restaurateurs and chefs, food and agribusiness entrepreneurs, and community members interested in transforming locally grown products into premium offerings are invited to The Art of Food Marketing & Tea Pairing, an agricultural marketing workshop hosted by the University of Guam Land Grant Extension Service and the UOG Asia Pacific Studies Center.
The workshop will be held over three identical sessions:
1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 24, at LYT Restaurant in Tumon
1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 26, at Guam Community College
9 a.m. to noon on Thursday, Aug. 27, at the University of Guam
The event will use Taiwan’s specialty tea industry as a case study for how Guam producers can move beyond selling an agricultural commodity to developing distinctive products with a strong identity that can reach both resident and visitor markets and help drive agritourism in Guam. Participants will learn how local agricultural products can be creatively marketed integrating culture, storytelling, and a sensory experience.
The sessions will feature two tea and hospitality experts visiting from Taiwan. Sze-Wai “Alex” Ng, a certified instructor with the Tea & Beverage Research Station and a lecturer at National Chung Hsing University, will lead a tea demonstration highlighting Taiwanese tea culture, preparation, and specialty tea knowledge. Then, Chien An “Angus” Lin, assistant professor at National Kaohsiung University of Hospitality & Tourism, will lead a guided tea and food pairing experience.
Sze-Wai “Alex” Ng, a certified instructor with the Tea & Beverage Research Station, performs a tea preparation demonstration at a conference hosted by the University of Guam Farmer Focus Program on Oct. 29, 2024, at the Hyatt Regency Guam. (Photo courtesy of the University of Guam)
Additionally, UOG Land Grant’s agricultural economist Kuan-Ju Chen and research assistant Rachel Cabales will teach the five P’s of marketing — product, price, place, promotion, and people. They will also share agricultural marketing and agribusiness strategies observed in Taiwan and discuss how these approaches could be adapted and applied by Guam farmers, restaurants, and agribusinesses.
The workshop will also explore the important role that restaurants and other local businesses can play in strengthening Guam’s agricultural economy. By sourcing Guam-grown ingredients, highlighting local producers, and creating farm-to-table partnerships, businesses can support farmers while providing customers and tourists with authentic island food experiences.
Registration is open at https://url.uog.edu/tea-and-food for residents 18 and older. The first 15 farmers to register can attend free of charge. For all others, the workshop fee is $30.
For more information or registration assistance, please contact Rachel Cabales at cabalesr@triton.uog.edu.
The Art of Food Marketing & Tea Pairing Workshop (Photo courtesy of the University of Guam)
