by Emeric Harney August 21, 2018 3 min read 4 Comments
Born and raised in Colombia, Elvira Cardenas moved to the United States in 1996, at the age of 20. After settling in the area, she became a tea packer at Harney & Sons where she worked closely with Michael Harney to learn the art of tea blending and purchasing. She joined our team as a tea purchaser shortly after and has been an integral part of our tea testing and blending process ever since. Read on to learn more about this exciting profession, its perks, its pits and how Elvira is breaking barriers as a woman in a male-dominated industry.
Elvira: My job is to travel the world in search of the highest-quality ingredients with the most distinctive flavors. I spend my days tasting raw materials and finished products to make sure we are meeting our quality standards. When I’m not doing that, I’m working to create and improve our blends. I love working with all of the natural ingredients the world has to offer to create new blends for our customers to enjoy.
Elvira:I’m very grateful for all the places my job has allowed me to visit, but my first trip with Harney & Sons to Taiwan remains my favorite. It was really my first time traveling internationally for work. Visiting the tea gardens on the top of the mountains, smelling the fresh tea leaves and seeing the passion behind the artistry that is tea will always be the reason why that trip is my favorite.
Elvira:Being a woman in a male-dominated tea industry hasn’t been easy. For any woman that also faces this situation, don’t let anyone tell you can’t or your opinion doesn’t matter. There are people that don’t want to take you seriously, so you are constantly working to prove yourself. I’ve personally had to face these situations, but I don’t let that stop me. It actually pushes me to work harder. You develop a thick skin over time and learn that if you believe in your ideas enough, someone else will too.
Elvira:In order to be a tea purchaser, you need to have a good palate, first and foremost. You also need to have a knowledge of tea cultivation, process and the market. Be ready to travel and practice good communication skills. Most importantly, always be open to new ideas, pay attention to what’s happening around the world and do everything with passion.
Elvira: Today, farmers are dealing with global warming which makes the search for high-quality teas difficult. This is one of the main challenges we see facing the industry as well as deforestation because both adversely affect the production of tea and the jobs the tea industry provides. However, people are becoming more aware of tea and its health benefits so the tea industry is growing. There are new ingredients being created every other day, so we’re excited to see what new blends we can create for our customers.
Elvira: I started drinking tea 20 years ago, but my first tea memory is walking into Harney’s blending room in Salisbury, CT and smelling all of the wonderful flavors of tea. If I could only have one type of Harney tea for the rest of my life, what would it be? That’s a very difficult question because every cup has their own distinctive flavor. I’d have to say Taiwanese Oolongs because of their fruity flavors.
August 27, 2018
Elvira, you are an exceptional woman, who is not afraid of obstacles, that is why you have arrived at the place where you are, you are an example of struggle to follow in an industry where it is dominated by man.
Thank to Harney & Sons for giving you the place you deserve.
Harney & Sons is a company of prestige and opportunity.
August 27, 2018
…!!! Congratulations Elvirita !!!…Your humility, your eloquence and your wisdom come from a Colombian home full of many values and principles.
…!!! God bless you and your family !!!…
🙏🙏🙏
August 27, 2018
Elvira has a great story to tell and I appreciate the opportunity to share that. She certainly must have a very interesting life indeed, and I’m so happy she found a profession where she can be so happy and creative – a tea discoverer! We need more people in our country with her passion. Thank you Harney for your wisdom in having the foresight to appreciate what she had to offer and for sharing a bit of her lovely American tea story. I need to try that Oolong of yours. All the best!
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Jo Ann Delisle
August 27, 2018
Very interesting article. I would like to thank my friend and Elvira’s, Anna N for sharing it with me