The rich history of tea dates back to when it first was used as a medicinal drink in East Asia. As globalization progressed, tea drinking has become an international phenomenon, spreading across multiple cultures throughout thousands of years. Yet, as consumers’ tea tastes have evolved, Brooklyn, N.Y.- based ITO EN (North America) Inc., a division of Tokyo-based ITO EN Ltd., continues to build on its strong innovation heritage by introducing healthy, organic and non-GMO tea varietals while maintaining a strong focus on new product development, sustainability and authenticity.
Continued interest in health and wellness, back to nature and proactive health trends have resulted in consumers turning to products that boast a natural, healthy halo. Although bottled water has experienced the most notable gains from these trends, bagged, loose-leaf and ready-to-drink (RTD) teas also have benefited from their associations as better-for-you products.
In conjunction with its expansion into retail and cafes, MatchaBar unveiled a new look for its line of ready-to-drink teas. The new design uses the packaging’s label as a platform to speak to its consumers, the company says. “The packaging refresh allowed us to create a way to let our beliefs, our interests and our associations with certain subcultures shine through,” Founders and brothers Graham and Max Fortgang said in a statement.
Lipton, a brand of Pepsi Lipton Tea Partnership between PepsiCo Inc. and Unilever, introduced a new flavor joining its line of ready-to-drink iced teas: Mango.
Teas’ Tea showcased a harmonious new brand look and announced its commitment to use only 100 percent USDA Certified Organic ingredients in its tea varieties at the 2017 Winter Fancy Food Show.
Pure Leaf, a product of The Pepsi Lipton Tea Partnership, announced the addition of Mint and Pomegranate flavors to its lineup of ready-to-drink iced teas.
New Hampshire, New York, Vermont and Missouri part of initial roll out
February 13, 2017
Seattle-based Starbucks Coffee Co., in partnership with St. Louis-based Anheuser-Busch, began shipping ready-to-drink (RTD) Teavana Craft Iced Teas to select grocery and convenience retailers in New Hampshire, New York, Vermont and Missouri.