Food Navigator-USA Special Edition: Time for Tea

I like the way FoodNavigator-USA collects its recent articles on single topics in one place.  This particular FoodNavigator-USA Special Edition explored the specialty tea business: green tea, innovative formats (e.g., tablets, pods, ready to drink, premium bags), and marketing strategies.

Given the new tea shops appearing one after the other in my neighborhood, the tea business must be booming.

• New flavors, delivery platforms keep consumers engaged with tea: Hoping to build on the momentum driving up sales of tea in the US, manufacturers are offering new flavors and delivery platforms that keep consumers engaged. At Expo East, companies showcased innovated tea bags, ready-to-drink options and even a tea consumers eat instead of drink… Display
• Matcha green tea market on fire, says report: ‘This is not a passing fad, but a major trend’: Retail sales of Matcha green tea powder surged 54.9%* in 2014, while sales of ready-to-drink products leaped up $253.1% (albeit from a small base), reveals a new report arguing that the bright green, nutrient-packed tea is “not a passing fad, but a major trend with long term viability”… Read
• TEA TIME! Highlights from the World Tea Expo 2015, from coffee leaf tea to ‘teablets’: From teablets (tablets of compressed tea leaves you drop in your mug, minus the bag) to tea made from coffee leaves, the tea market is a hotbed of innovation. FoodNavigator-USA headed to the World Tea Expo in Long Beach, CA to bring you some highlights….. Display
• Single serve tea capsules could account for 10% of dry tea sales in 2015, predicts expert: One out of every 10 dollars (10%) spent on dry loose or bagged tea leaves in the US will be spent on single-serve capsules such as K-Cups in 2015, compared to just 2% in 2009, predicts one tea market expert… Read
• U.S. tea sales climb as consumers seek healthy drinks & new flavors: Sales of tea in the U.S. are growing quickly as more Americans are drawn to the beverage for its health benefits, rich history and artisanal qualities, according to industry stakeholders… Watch now
• Energizing Zest Tea charts high-octane growth: Many a tea lover has settled for coffee or an energy drink when desperate for an energy fix. But Zest Tea hopes to change that with its high-caffeine brewed teas. .. Read
• Health benefits, convenient format drive sales of Matcha green tea: Matcha tea, known for its vibrant green hue, is hitting its stride in the U.S. where household penetration is currently low but sales are climbing double-digit year-over-year – representing significant consumer interest and growth potential, according to recent research… Watch now
• Increased innovation needed to further drive tea sales in the US: Sales of tea in the US are booming, but the industry still faces tough competition and must continue to innovate to capture a larger “share of throat,” according to Peter Goggi, president of the Tea Council of the USA. .. Watch now
• More Americans are reaching for green tea, consumer survey reveals: America may be a nation of black tea drinkers, but increasingly they are reaching for green tea for its health benefits, rich cultural experience and diverse flavor profile, according to a research by the Tea Council of the USA. .. Watch now
• Bigelow faces same challenges as startups with launch of first RTD iced teas: Tea manufacturer Bigelow expands its portfolio beyond bags and loose leaf into the promising ready-to-drink category with the launch of five flavors of bottled iced tea that claim to be as healthy as a cup of freshly brewed tea… Read