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About Our Programs

For nearly two decades the Tea & Herbal Association of Canada has offered their TAC Tea Sommelier® certification program. It has received much recognition by the international tea community over the years and is the winner of the CSAE (Canadian Society of Association Executives) Award of Distinction for an education program.

Starting June 1, 2023 the Tea & Herbal Association of Canada will offer three new certifications: Tea Specialist, Foodservice Tea Specialist and Herbs & Infusions Certificate.

As of June 1, 2023 the Tea Sommelier® program will include the Herbs & Infusions courses. All students who are currently registered in the Tea Sommelier® program or who have taken Tea Sommelier® courses prior to June 1, 2023 will not be required to take the additional courses in order qualify for the final Tea Sommelier® certification exam.

Tea Sommelier®

A TAC Tea Sommelier® is someone who has a thorough understanding of tea and herbal tea from bush to cup. In addition to being knowledgeable in tea’s history, processing methods and preparation, they can confidently interact with anyone about tea and make recommendations based on their needs. A certified TAC Tea Sommelier® has the necessary expertise to design a comprehensive tea menu for retail and food service environments, understand and apply the principles behind tea and food pairings and articulate the tasting notes associated with different teas and herbal teas.

Tea Specialist

A Tea Specialist is someone who has intermediate knowledge of tea from bush to cup. They can confidently talk about the different tea types and are knowledgeable in different parts of the tea industry business.

Foodservice Tea Specialist

A Foodservice Tea Specialist is someone who has knowledge of tea and how to successfully talk about it and use it in a foodservice environment. They are qualified to communicate with customers about the different types of tea and make recommendations for tea and food pairing.

Herbs & Infusions Certificate

A person who holds the Herbs & Infusions Certificate has knowledge of the history of botanicals and how they are now used within the tea industry. They understand the flavour profiles of a variety of popular botanicals and how they can be used within tea and herbal tea blends and other culinary applications (mixology, baking, cooking).

Katie Cyr
“The Tea Sommelier program was a huge asset towards building my dream career in the world of tea. I loved meeting like minded people who were passionate to learn and discuss tea. I absolutely loved the hands on pairings such as tea & chocolate as well as focusing on specific growing regions and countries. The course material is diverse, engaging and really helps participants understand and connect more to the fascinating world of tea. I feel so proud of my Certified TAC Tea Sommelier® Professional certification and use the course material daily.”
Katie Cyr, Founder, Monarch Tea Co.
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
Sheena Brady
“Becoming a Certified TAC Tea Sommelier® Professional is exciting for so many reasons and can lead to a successful career in hospitality and commerce.”
Sheena Brady, CEO, Tease
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Lena Pan
“This program is great because you will learn about tea from the best tea authority in Canada, and can get certified as a tea professional after completion. The courses are held at multiple times so that you can fit into your own schedule. For me, my favourite thing about this program was that tea samples were shipped to my address and labelled to be used in appropriate lessons for the tea cuppings. The knowledge and experience that I gained from this program and the title of Certified TAC Tea Sommelier® Professional gave me a lot more confidence working in the tea industry as a tea expert.”
Lena Pan, Research and Development, TreeHouse Foods
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
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“As a Japanese person I love Japanese tea and its traditions. However, I wanted to learn more about the world of tea beyond the narrow definition of Ocha. THAC’s Tea Sommelier program taught me about the many different types of tea and their unique backgrounds.”
Masatoshi Shoji
Sendai, Japan
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“Tea has such beautiful history and tradition across many cultures. My curiosity about different cultures, how they utilize types of tea, ways to integrate the unique flavors into cooking and mixology, and the health benefits drew me to this course. The immersive education, engaging lectures, and interactive activities made me want to become a sommelier. Through the courses I developed a deep passion and unlocked opportunities to bring tea studies to others through menu and cocktail design with restaurants and tastings with local businesses.”
Skylar Jackson
Estes Park, Colorado, United States
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“Having been involved in a long term relationship (30+ yrs) with tea prior to taking the TAC Tea Sommelier courses, I was so impressed with the 8 course modules and the quality of the materials. The added option of taking the courses online worked very well for me as I am a sole proprietor, so getting to a set class time and place would have been difficult for me. I really enjoyed training my palate to better identify teas and their origins, flavour profiles and learn more about how they are processed from tea growing regions around the world. I highly recommend the course to any tea enthusiast, tea business owner or tea lover.”
Amy Lou Taylor, Owner, The Art of Tea and Tasseomancy and Mystic Tearoom
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
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“THAC’s Tea Sommelier program is a credible and comprehensive study of the tea industry, and has been critical to preparing me to launch my own tea business. The course gave me valuable insight into everything from the history to the geo-political impact of tea on our society through to cultivation, processing, tasting, health to even pairing teas with food and how to use tea in non-traditional ways. If you are planning to launch a tea business or have a desire to learn more about tea, this is the course to take! ”
Michael Prini, Founder/President, Blink Tea
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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“I was already working in the tea industry and wanted to add a recognised certification to my skill set. It was a great opportunity to refresh what I already knew and at the same time to fill the knowledge gaps. Working with THAC was a really enjoyable process, the course was the perfect combination of theory and practical application and I’d highly recommend for everyone whether starting out or already on the tea road.”
Michelle Mc Goff
Melbourne, Australia

Our Sponsors

Metro Tea Company The Tea Emporium Nourish Tea QTrade Teas and Herbs Higgins and Burke Stash Tea Van Rees Tea Twinings Tea Lumbini Tea

The Metropolitan Tea Company

The Metropolitan Tea Company

Mother Parker's Tea & Coffee

Mother Parker's Tea & Coffee

Twininings

Twininings

Q Trade Teas & Herbs

Q Trade Teas & Herbs

Universal Commodities (Tea) Trading Inc.

Universal Commodities (Tea) Trading Inc.

Van Rees North America

Van Rees North America