Tag: tea

In the UK, 165 million cups of tea are consumed everyday by 51 million tea drinkers, and although speciality teas are bigger than ever, classic traditional teas are still well-loved. With wellness teas on the rise and new flavours and options popping up regularly, we want to know what types of teas are the most popular and on the rise this year.

Whether we’re opting for an English Breakfast or going for a herbal tea, there are so many choices. So, what are some of the major tea trends that we should be looking out for in 2019? We read through the Tetley Tea report, and here’s what we found:

Tea at work improves productivity
Having a tea break at work is actually a really good thing, and it actually outperforms coffee with 47% of people drinking tea every time they’re in the workplace. Whether you’re grabbing a green tea (the 2nd most popular blend in the workplace) in between meetings and calls, or enjoying a brew with colleagues, it’s no surprise that having a tea break can increase productivity, benefiting both businesses and employees. The tea trends for this year show that the top 3 factors for choosing tea in the workplace are:

• 44% of people go for a cup of tea to break up the day
• 30% enjoy a cuppa to quench thirst
• 28% of people say it’s just out of habit

The experience is key
Tea is now about more than just making a quick cup in the morning and drinking it in a hurry. It’s about the experience, enjoyment and finding a new way to take pleasure in something small. The idea of ‘hygge’ has become more and more popular with it being an act of self-care to enjoy small rituals everyday, and the idea of ‘comfort’ and ‘cosiness’. Plus, there’s the idea of sophistication – whether it’s visiting a renowned British place for a ‘high-tea’ or ‘afternoon tea’ experience, it’s a concept that’s appealing.

Yes to new flavours
An unlikely finding in the tea trends for 2019 is that black tea is still a clear favourite when it comes to popular choices. But fruit, herbal and green teas have definitely grown in popularity, particularly since the well-being trend has become more prominent with millennials. So, the idea of offering fruit and herbal infusions is a key way to attract a younger audience, by demonstrating the various benefits of different blends. The most popular blends for people to consume out of home (other than black tea) are Green Tea (18%), Speciality Black Tea (17%), Herbal Tea (15%), Fruit Tea (14%) and Matcha Tea (3%). Matcha and Green tea are the two blends that consumers are happy to pay a little more for. People also want new tastes and flavours – natural, more earthy flavours and variations from matcha tea and kombucha.

With the rise of cold brews and botanicals, there is no ‘one’ type of tea anymore.

We’re more selective about our dietary choices and often choose healthier beverages
With the rise of the health and wellness trend, particularly amongst millennials, consumers are looking for healthier options, and ingredients with more nutritional benefits. There’s a much higher demand now for functional food and drink options with health benefits focused on self-care, and this is only expected to grow over the next few years. Since 1 in 2 people in the UK already take daily vitamins, it’s now more important than ever for the new generation of tea drinkers to choose drinks with functional ingredients to help maintain a healthy lifestyle – matcha, protein, turmeric and ginger to name a few.

A report by National Tea Day talked about the way different types of tea drinkers perceive tea and the difference in how they associate it. For example, when it comes to different generations, traditionalists look at tea more as a “builder’s brew,” whereas modern consumers and new tea drinkers see it more as an experience. Traditionalists tend to see tea as, “comforting, creamy and sweet”, whereas modernists tend to see tea as, “healthy, colourful and sensual.” So, the rise of speciality teas is definitely bigger than ever and there have been a number of key shifts in the premium tea market. But, one thing hasn’t changed. That we love tea.  Tetley’s report says, “Enjoying a cup of tea is a staple part of most people’s day.” We agree.