Hot or cold, bottled or bagged, tea is the most widely consumed beverage in the world next to water, according to the Tea Association of the U.S.A. Inc., New York City. It can be found in 80 percent of U.S. households and is consumed by more than 154 million Americans every day, it adds.
In 2010, ready-to-drink (RTD) tea made up 80 percent of the tea category, a 6 percent increase from 2006, according to a May 2011 Packaged Facts report, “Functional and Natural Ready-to-Drink Beverages in the U.S.” The Rockville, Md.-based market research publisher projected that RTD teas would grow 10 percent this year, reaching $6 billion in retail sales by 2015.