Big Sky Tea

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Big Sky Tea

• 30th Annual Governors Conference on Tourism
• Billings, Montana

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Family Farming -Endangered Species?

• Farm purchased in 1958
• Grown a variety crops including, Christmas trees,
  alfalfa, small grains
• Past 20 years mint for essential oil (commodity)

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Mint Oil Prices
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When Life Hands you lemonsmake lemonade!

• Ag Research Centers began feasibility study on
  alternative crops and uses for crops we grow in
  western Montana-1998
• Identified seven potential market areas
• One area of interest was herbal teas
• Montana can grow 44 different herbs to be used in
  tea blends

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Major Herbs for Teas in Montana

• Peppermint
• spearmint
• chamomile
• echinacea
• alfalfa
• clover
• lemon grass

calendula coriander fennel dandelion
rose hips hops valerian
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Montana Growth Through Agriculture

• Received first grant-fall 2000
• First to hire market, feasibility analysis and
  business plan development
• Contracted with Montana World Trade Center

Think Big!
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Complete feasibility work

• Grow Herbs
• Process Herbs to tea grade cut
• Mission Mountain Marketing
• certified kitchen in Ronan
• began tea packaging fall 2001

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Montanas Mission Mountain Market, Food
Processing and Cooperative Development
Center located at 405 Main Street, Ronan, MT
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Specialty Food Processing in the Kitchen at
Mission Mountain Market (clockwise) Restaurant
owner Bipin Patel from Tipus Tiger in Missoula
and Tipus employee Will Henry with Facility
Manager Lora Poirier producing a batch of Chai
Tea concentrate for Tipus wholesale customers.
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Dry Filling Machine used for bulk and loose leaf
tea products
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Tea Bagging machine and ribbon blender used for
Big Sky Teas 676-0676 Lora Poirier is facility
manager
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Where we are today

• Marketing into 5 states
• Montana image works well
• international sales to Japan, Taiwan, and Africa
• Hasnt been easy hasnt been cheap
• Return On Invest 35 times greater than commodity
  production

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How To Link Ag Producers
Most Producers are Commodity Focused- not
retailers They dont want to have the potential
return from tourism interfere with their
livelihood- We need to make hay when the sun
shines! Most Love to tell their story, including
me! Arrange visits ahead of time-check for road
accessibility, restrooms if available, signage,
other issues? Lets link Montanas two greatest
industries together Agriculture and Tourism!
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Visit us at www. Big Sky Tea.com Steve
Simonson 6107 Hwy 200 Thompson Falls, MT 59873
[phone]