Spotlight | How Recognition Adds Value to Tea

Tea producers seeking higher returns are often advised to add value through improved processing, certification, packaging, or branding. Independent recognition of the finished tea’s quality is another part of that conversation.

AVPA, the Paris-based organization behind the international Teas of the World competition, evaluates entries through blind sensory assessment. For producers moving beyond bulk sales, that recognition can help convey what makes a particular tea distinctive.

In this SPOTLIGHT, we explore how producers can connect quality to the market, what French consumers value, and where recognition fits alongside the commercial work of building a brand.

Our guest today is Ksenia Hleap, Chief Operating Officer of AVPA — Agence pour la Valorization des Produits Agricoles, the Paris-based organization that conducts international competitions recognizing the gastronomic quality of agricultural products.

Ksenia joined AVPA in October 2017 as Director of Communications and Business Development and was named Chief Operating Officer in July 2026. She is closely involved in AVPA’s international Teas of the World competition, which welcomes producers from established and emerging tea origins and evaluates entries through blind sensory assessment. She earned a master's degree in business development from UPEC Université Paris.

Her work at AVPA focuses on producer recognition, product quality, and market development—particularly helping agricultural producers communicate their products' identity, quality, and added value. | Podlink sign-up: https://pod.link/1549975153

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