Another aspect of Rubin's marketing strategy for The Republic of Tea is the promotion of food pairings. It's a term that is familiar in the realm of beer and wine, but relatively new as a concept in regard to tea. You can have the finest food and wine menu in the country, but it doesn't work for people who don't drink alcohol. Rubin, whose background is in fine wine, believes that the company's flavored teas can be successfully marketed in the dining room through menu pairings. An incentive program implemented by The Noonday Club's management has been very popular with the staff and has resulted in increased sales.
Members notice the Republic of Tea bottle on another table and ask about it.
The club also utilizes a bar display provided by the company to showcase the bottles during lunch service. Alfred Peet, who founded the company in 1966, grew up in a family coffee and tea business in Alkmaar, Holland, and later worked in the tea trade in Indonesia. The company has expanded its line of signature deep-roast coffees to include an equally serious line of fine loose teas. The list of hard-hitting names includes a tea called Ti Kwan Yin, which translates as Iron Goddess of Mercy. Honest Tea of Maryland is appealing to the consumer's patriotic side with a peppermint tea named First Nation which is produced in partnership with the Crow people of Montana.