Tea Picks Up More Steam

We had written earlier this year about Starbucks’ search for tea, it ends and begins with a purchase of Teavana for $620 million cash.

Adding to the list of Teatailers in New York this week is Palais du Thés, a French tea importer and retailer, started in 1987 by François-Xavier Delmas. The chain has 28 boutiques worldwide. The 29th is its first in the United States and the first outside France that is not a franchise.

A Look Inside Red Hook’s Fairway As They Rebuild

Fairway Market was amongst the businesses in Red Hook that sustained extreme damage during Hurricane Sandy. They’ve made a video that shows the cleared out market and discusses their plans for the rebuild.

Fairway General Manager Andy Zeluta Gives a Look Inside Red Hook’s Cleared Out Fairway

Grow NYC is here to Help Recovery efforts to Victims of Hurricane Sandy

Tropical Storm Sandy changed a lot of things but it didn’t change how GrowNYC responds when the City most needs a sense of normalcy.

We’re keeping Greenmarkets and Youthmarkets open and collecting and delivering food to those in need.

We’re getting back up and running – our home office on Chambers Street has reopened – hopefully with phone and heat soon but already filled with no shortage of willing and enthusiastic staff. Please check our blog for updates on compost and textile collections, Greenmarkets and other events.

We’re grateful for all the well wishes and concern you have expressed to us and we’re grateful for what many of you have already done, be it volunteer your time, donate money and cleaning supplies and other essentials or purchasing a bag of Greenmarket produce to donate.

Here’s how we can help you – and you can help New Yorkers and GrowNYC:

1) Buy local and enjoy the bounty of the season while supporting family farms – shop at any one of the 50+ Greenmarkets or 11 Youthmarkets open for business. For a complete list go to grownyc.org/greenmarket

2) Donate-A-Bag opportunities are available at many Greenmarket locations from now through Thanksgiving. Help feed hungry New Yorkers, those affected by Sandy and relief workers by purchasing an extra bag of produce and bring it to the Market Information Tent. We’ll get it where it needs to go. For an up-to-date schedule of markets where you can Donate-A-Bag go to grownyc.org/blog/

Customers are donating harvest season items in record numbers in response to the immense need for hunger relief that Sandy created. Over 10,000 pounds have found their way to community kitchens, churches, shelters, food pantries and others serving victims of the storm.

3) Please consider a donation to GrowNYC when you are thinking about how to help New York City recover – many of the City’s community and school gardens suffered damage and need assistance, our compost infrastructure took a hit and many items need replacing, additionally, GrowNYC will continue to provide the kind of education and services that help us understand and combat climate change through education, recycling, tree planting and care, storm management best practices like rainwater harvesting systems and more. To make a donation, go to grownyc.org/donate now and help us get NYC back on its feet.

Thank you from all of us at GrowNYC

Emergency relief forum for NYC Small Business

NYC community board 3 Your Business Affected By Hurricane Sandy?

Apply For Fema Relief And Emergency Loans Join the following: Congresswoman Nydia M. Velazquez Speaker Sheldon Silver State Senator Daniel Squadron Assembly Member Brian Kavanagh Council Member Margaret Chin Council Member Rosie Mendez

U.S. Small Business Administration FEMA NYC Department of Small Business Services Lower East Side Business Improvement District (LES BID) Community Board 3

Friday, November 9, 2012 9:00 am – 11:00 am Houston Street Center 273 Bowery Street (Corner of East Houston & Bowery next to Whole Foods)

LEARN ABOUT THE EMERGENCY LOAN PROGRAMS AND OTHER SERVICES TO HELP SMALL BUSINESSES IMPACTED OR INTERRUPTED BY HURRICANE SANDY If your business was impacted or interrupted by Hurricane Sandy, this is a great opportunity to learn about relief available to small businesses. The U.S. Small Business Administration, NYC Business Solutions, and the Small Business Development Center will be present to provide important information regarding these processes. You will learn about FEMA relief and emergency loan assistance – long and short term assistance. RSVP not required. Lower East Side Business Improvement District 54 Orchard St, NYC 10002 y 212-226-9010 y http://www.lowereastsideny.com

FastCasual.com gets up close and personal with 4 Hospitality Tech CEO’s

Restaurant operators are always looking for the latest solutions to help them cut costs and provide better and faster service. Technologies claiming to do all three emerge daily, so FastCasual.com sat down with the CEOs or founders of four such companies — FrontFlip, Breadcrumb, Irisys and GoPago — to find out if their solutions are worth the investment.

New Restaurant Technology to help your business manage its guests

Red Hook, Brooklyn Needs Help from Sandy Aftermath

Red Hook, recently revitalized neighborhood in Brooklyn with coffee bars, restaurants, Fairway and Ikea in its backyard now needs a new revitalization. After Hurricane Sandy rolled through, all along Van Brunt Street, the air was thick with the steady thrumming of sump-pumps all the way up and down Van Brunt, every building having had its basement flooded, the arriviste businesses and long-time residents finding one another at a kind of clean-up block-party-meets-wake, counting the cost of Sandy’s devastation, soldiering on in the knowledge that whatever they’ve suffered has been suffered by all their neighbors too. Sometimes, it takes a disaster to remind folks that they’re part of a single community whether they choose to recognize it or not.

Red Hook Apocalypse: How Sandy Undid an Up-and-Coming New York Neighborhood

Kobricks Coffee Roaster Rebrands and Launches 1 pound Bags

The 92-year-old artisanal coffee roaster Kobrick Coffee rebranded to introduce itself to the general public. The 1-lb. bag features a hand-applied blend label on the front panel; the brand story on the right gusset; the founder’s signature on the left gusset; and notes on quality and brewing instructions on the back

Kobricks new look in 1 pound coffee bags

Latin-themed restaurants update their menu with national trends

There is so much popularity around Latin cuisine– from fast casual to fine dining. Now, many of these restaurants are incorporating other trends into their summer menu, from authenticity to superfoods and better-for-you ingredients.
For example, Chevy Tex Mex has updated their kid’s menu to offer Chicken Fajita served with carrots, celery sticks and apple wedges and water for beverage in addition to many other healthy options

Realtors in New York City open their own restaurants

Its the age of the new kind of restaurateur. Realtors see this opportunity as a way to boost
their bottom line and meet new clients to expand their existing circle in addition to
community engagement.
Some realtor-owned restaurants in New York City include Ciao Bella, Tre Otto, Taproom No. 307 and more

Small fruit making a big mark with local grocers

The convenience factor has finally hit the produce market as the Cuties brand, a seedless, sweet and easy-to-peel mandarin, hits the ground running. The Wall Street Journal highlights the brand as “the most profitable citrus in America” and has caused many farmers in California to re-consider planting this new American favorite. Now, Cuties is expanding distribution to the east coast as they are seeing increased competition from new brands such as Darling Clementines, Delite, Clem’NTina’s and Bee Sweet.
What other some other fruits that could be revamped for convenience?