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U.S. retail sales of tea and ready-to-drink tea grew 19.8 percent to $7.3 billion between 2009 and 2014, according to Chicago-based market research firm Mintel. The Tea Association of the USA cited that 85 percent of tea consumed in America is iced tea, and loose-leaf iced tea is gaining in popularity. The popularity of tea has led to a focus on specialty tea, including matcha. According to the Atlanta-based Sage Group, U.S. retail sales of matcha green tea powder grew by about
55 percent in 2014. This tea trend is further evidenced by The National Restaurant Association’s annual “What’s Hot 2015 Culinary Forecast,” which revealed specialty iced tea, such as flavored tea and matcha, as trending in non-alcohol beverages.