Boutique launch

Kusmi officially opens its Montreal boutique:
the first in North America!

Montreal, September 24, 2009 – The exclusive Canadian importers of Kusmi Tea, Micheline Sibuet and Pierre Watters, are happy to officially open today the first Kusmi Tea boutique in North America making it the only one outside of France. It is situated on Saint-Denis Street in Montreal (between Roy and Duluth) and since August it has offered a wide selection of Kusmi teas to be enjoyed on the spot or to go as well as a variety of tea accessories.
“We are extremely proud that Montreal was chosen among all other cities as the location of the new boutique and that our organizations responsible for its development. In a sense, we are hugely indebted to all Kusmi lovers ,” says Micheline Sibuet. Her lifelong partner Pierre Watters adds that Kusmi could not have carved its niche in Quebec’s culinary landscape “without the 150 retailers in the province.”

A 21st century tea boutique
The boutique’s atmosphere is inspired by the one of Paris. Its design creates an ambiance in which shades of red and white, in line with the company logo, come together harmoniously with the modern white and transparent furniture. The decor is the perfect setting for the multi-coloured Kusmi tea boxes as well as the cups and teapots specially created for Kusmi by artist Maurice Filipozzi. The boutique also carries all indispensable tea accessories: teapots, kettles, cups, and of course, several treats.

The Tea Bar
The focal point of the boutique is the Tea Bar. The menu offers over 30 teas (including herbal teas) that gourmets can enjoy with a variety of treats including macaroons, biscuits, and Corfias tea-based chocolates. Those who want to indulge themselves and take a break in a friendly environment can enjoy their tea on the spot while the busy enthusiasts can take their tea to go in a colorful Kusmi cup.

Valuable advice and daily tastings
Information on tea and the history of Kusmi, as well as advice and tastings are available at the boutique. Whether you’re a new or a longtime enthusiast of this ancestral drink, you’ll be helped with your selection. Origins, temperature, infusion time, tastings and virtues of each tea will have no more secrets for you. Thanks to a daily tea tasting offered everyday, your palate will enjoy new discoveries!

An exceptional tea selection
Tea addicts, neophytes and occasional consumers will find the 75 varieties of tea offered by Kusmi of which more than 40 are exclusive to the boutique.

Devoted fans of the brand will appreciate the varieties of bergamot and citrus, which are staples of the Exclusive Blends: from the Prince Vladimir flavoured with citrus, vanilla and spices, to St. Petersburg flavoured with citrus, red fruits and caramel, and Anastasia which the founder created as a tribute to the Grand Duchess of the mysteriously disappeared Romanov dynasty. There is also Troika, Traktir, Samovar and many more to be discovered.

Kusmi also created wellness teas. This includes the exceptional Detox - a blend of maté, green tea and lemon grass that purifies the body, and Sweet Love - made of black China tea, spices and guarana seed that arouses the senses.

Green tea lovers will have to make their choice among a wide selection from traditional Green Tea with Spearmint flavoured with Nanah mint from Morocco, to tangy and vigorous Ginger Lemon Green Tea, as well as Green Darjeeling Tea from India, or Green Bouquet, a delicious blend of green tea of one of the Exclusive Blends. Obviously, there are many more green teas to discover.

The boutique also offers several black and original green from Ceylon, Assam or China for instance. But also traditional blends such as English Breakfast or Irish Blend, as well as herbal teas. Since 1867, Kousmichoff has been one of the most prestigious tea houses in the world and variety and excellence are always on the menu. In Russia, it would get its tea directly from China thanks to the famous camel caravans.

Its century-old experience with Chinese tea allows it to offer certain specialized varieties that enthusiasts will adore, such as a Pai Mu Tan white tea, the Jade Pearl with Jasmine, a variety with an enchanting scent, or the Lung Ching Dragon Well, a green tea from the Province of Zhejiang with very powerful antioxidant qualities. Its experience has also helped it select the best teas from other origins such as the Japanese Gyokuro Asahi (Pearl of Dew), or the Fancy Oolong, a blue-green tea from Formosa.

These varieties are all available in the famous multi-coloured Kusmi tea boxes, in bulk or in muslin tea bags.

The Kusmi boutique at a glance

Business Hours

*A tasting workshop is open to the public one Monday per month from 6 to 8 p.m. for $20 per person. Reservations are required.

Tea Bar
Tea on the spot: $4.50 per teapot
Tea to go: $1.75
Plate of four sweets: $5

Address : 3875, Saint-Denis Street (between Roy et Duluth) Montreal (Quebec) H2W 2M4
Telephone : 514 840-5445
Email : info@kusmi.ca
Kusmi Canada : www.kusmi.ca
To order a product: : www.us.kusmitea.com/fr/

Kusmi Tea
The Kousmichoff house was established in 1867 in St. Petersburg by Pavel Michailovitch Kousmichoff and was appointed supplier to the court of the Tsars. Fleeing the 1917 Russian revolution, the Kousmichoff teahouse settled in Paris. Between the two world wars, the teahouse expanded throughout Europe – Belgrade, Berlin, London and Constantinople – and even reached America. Since its inception, the teahouse develops exclusive blends, but also black teas, plain or flavoured and packaged in multi-coloured baroque tea boxes, a real tribute to the original labels.

T. Importation Canada
Sold the world over, Kusmi teas are exclusively imported into Canada by T. Importation Canada inc. The some 75 varieties include well-known classics such as Darjeeling and Earl Grey, as well as original Russian blends with evocative names such as Prince Vladimir, Troika and Anastasia.

Kusmi teas are sold at the Kusmi boutique situated at 3875 Saint-Denis Street and in close to 150 fine food and specialty shops in Quebec. They are sold as leaves in the beautiful multi-coloured tea boxes. Tearooms and restaurants also carry Kusmi teas in muslin tea bags.

For further information on Kusmi Tea or to view a list of retail points of sale, log on to the Kusmi Canada website at www.kusmi.ca.

Source : Kusmi Canada

For more information : Kilicom Relations publiques – twitter.com/Kilicom

Stéphanie Quirion
514 845-8222, p. 223
squirion@kilicom.com

Sophie Sabourin
514 845-8222, p. 221
ssabourin@kilicom.com

Printable version (.pdf)