In his 19th century play “Sweet Lavender,” Sir Arthur Wing Pinero made famous the line, “While there is tea, there is hope.” In today’s beverage market, that same sentiment is resonating as beverage-makers develop products that fulfill consumers’ need states for convenience, health and functionality.
“Across the board, tea has been increasing due to higher demand for [ready-to-drink] (RTD) and powder tea beverages,” says Chris Persad, associate food technologist and trained/certified tea expert for Virginia Dare, Brooklyn, N.Y. “Over the last decade as consumers have continued to move away from carbonated soft drinks, they often migrate to a healthier alternative like tea. A lot of this growth early on was a rising tide that helped all brands.