Listen up, folks! We've got a juicy tale about a man named Blechyden who made bank by selling tea in America at the turn of the century. Now, in the South, they had been sippin' on some iced tea for ages, but nobody else knew about it. That is until Blechyden came along and decided to market it to the rest of the country. Smart guy, right?
Meet Richard Blechyden - tea merchant extraordinaire and plantation owner in turn-of-the-century America. He was a savvy businessman who knew how to make a pretty penny selling tea-based beverages.
But, iced tea was one drink he saw had potential. Sure, it had been a Southern tradition for a while, but the rest of the country hadn't caught on yet. That is until Blechyden decided to take advantage of a sweltering summer during the 1904 World's Fair in St. Louis.
People were roasting, and what did they reach for? You guessed it, a cool and refreshing sweet tea. Blechyden's iced tea took off like a rocket and gained national popularity. Some say it was an act of desperation - hot tea wasn't cutting it in the intense heat. Either way, Blechyden's decision to sell chilled tea was a game-changer and left a lasting impact.
Who knew tea could be so cool?