Tea bags: the unexpected

As seen on a plaque at Scienceworks in the House Secrets exhibit.

A thrifty tea merchant from New York named Thomas Sullivan is credited with inventing the first tea bag in 1908. Looking to save money, Sullivan reportedly distributed small samples of tea in silk bags instead of little metal tins. It wasn’t until after he saw restaurant and coffee shop owners brewing the entire bag of tea leaves that he realized the potential of his actions.

A nice demonstration of the first, and most valuable, of Peter Drucker’s seven sources of innovation.

The unexpected. The unexpected success, failure or outside event.

Posted via web from PEG @ Posterous