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.
Market research firm predicts category to reach $9 billion by 2020
December 19, 2016
Tea sales in the United States have shown strong growth in 2016, continuing the upswing in ready-to-drink (RTD) and refrigerated categories, according to Rockville, Md.-based Packaged Facts. In its new report “Tea and Ready-to-Drink Tea: U.S. Retail Market, 6th Edition,” the market research firm estimates tea sales slightly exceeded $7 billion in 2015, up almost 6 percent. By 2020, Packaged Facts expects retail sales of tea in the United States to close in on $9 billion for the first time, it says.
The beverage aisle has become one of my favorites when I’m at the grocery store. I’ve become known by the cashiers for purchasing a basket full of various ready-to-drink (RTD) beverages, as I like to find something new to try on each trip and restock on my favorites.
The U.S. tea market has seen an evolution over the years as consumers’ on-the-go lifestyles put an emphasis on convenience and ready-to-drink (RTD) teas.
A family-run business spanning three generations, Bigelow Tea Co., Fairfield, Conn., was founded more than 70 years ago when Ruth Campbell Bigelow created a zestfully flavored Constant Comment tea. Succeeding generations of the family have carried on the tradition of innovation, and today, the company produces 1.7 billion tea bags annually.