Maine Original Tea Co. Introduces Natural Line of Sustainable, Iced Tea Concentrates

Portland, ME, July 19, 2013 --(PR.com)-- Maine Original Tea founder, Jay Lombard has deep entrepreneurial, New England roots. From an early age, Lombard spent summer vacations helping out in the Boston North End warehouse of his grandfather, which was filled with imported pasta, olive oil, cheese and tomato products. His ancestors owned a fleet of four sailing ships, and the family flag that flew on the masts of those ships is incorporated in the logo of Lombard's newest venture - Maine Original Tea.

Besides having an innate entrepreneurial ability proven by his previous three start-up ventures, which were all based in Brooklyn, NY, Lombard knows food. So when he couldn't find a healthy, delicious alternative to all the sugary sodas on the shelves of his local store, he decided to do something about it.

Lombard's original idea was to make a natural tea-based soda, and the first thing he did was travel around the world to learn firsthand about the tea industry. While traveling, Lombard became concerned with the environmental ramifications of shipping individual bottles around the country. He learned that customers wanted iced tea the way they liked it - a little stronger, a little weaker, a little sweeter, or not sweet at all, but few had time to brew and cool their own iced tea using premium ingredients.

By the end of his travels, Lombard had decided to make a non-sparkling flavored iced tea concentrate. To do so, he personally sourced the finest teas and fruits and began to blend one batch after another, searching for the perfect blend of flavors. When he came up with a product that was crisp and delicious, convenient and sustainable, he knew he had a winner. Not only would a single glass bottle of Maine Original Tea keep 8 plastic bottles from the landfill and minimize the transportation footprint, each customer would be able to prepare his or her iced tea just the way he or she liked it.

By this time, Jay Lombard had moved from New York to Maine. He was impressed with the state's vibrant culinary culture and decided to name his company, Maine Original Tea. He has also chosen to produce his product in Maine. "I wanted to continue to build Maine's reputation as a premiere source for the best culinary offerings; natural Maine originals like lobster, blueberries, and pure spring water, and those that are crafted, brewed or made from scratch - beer, bread, cheese, maple syrup."

Lombard continued, "Maine, especially Portland, has such a strong connection to importing and exporting goods. Tea is the quintessential global commodity and the second most consumed beverage in the world, behind water. Drinking tea is a daily ritual for many countries and cultures. But, iced tea is a uniquely American beverage that was invented during a heat wave at the 1904 World’s Fair in St. Louis, MO."

After creating Maine Original Tea's core flavor – Half & Half, the company's own black tea and lemonade blend – Lombard started work on the company's signature flavor – Blueberry White. Lombard paired the finest white tea with natural Maine blueberries to achieve a balanced flavor profile. White tea is derived from the early spring buds of the same plant (camellia sinensis) that produces green and black tea leaves. The delicate floral notes of white tea blend with the blueberry flavor without needing a lot of sweetener to balance the tannins of traditional black tea.

To promote his product, Lombard has purchased a classic 1953 bright yellow Dodge truck, which he will bring to farmers' markets, the Yarmouth Clam Festival, and the Blueberry Festival in August. At each event, he will distribute tasting cups of his two inaugural flavors and maybe even the new oolong and rooibos iced teas that are in development. In addition, Maine Original Tea's Half & Half and Blueberry White flavors will debut on the shelves of Whole Foods in early August.

For more information about Maine Original Tea, please call Jay Lombard, 207-702-5072 or email maineoriginal@me.com.