Tea Trends for 2019 and Beyond
Tea Trends for 2019 and Beyond
At Sir Jason Winters International, we are more than a little partial towards tea. We’ve watched the global tea market expand over the last several years and we’re excited to see this growth. Much of this growth can be attributed to people wanting to enjoy healthier alternatives to soft drinks, alcohol, sweetened fruit juices, and depending on who you ask, even coffee.
But we’re not the only ones who are excited by tea. The 17th Annual Tea Expo in Las Vegas earlier this year has given us just a taste of what lies ahead for the rest of 2019 and into the next few years.
The Look Ahead
You don’t need to learn the ancient art of reading tea leaves to know that the worldwide trend toward drinking more tea is likely to continue. According to a recent report issued in April of this year, IMARC Group estimates that the global industry trend for green tea alone will reach $25.2 billion by 2024.
As of 2018, the beverage industry for all beverage spaces means about 450 billion USD. The growth in the sector is strong, with a 14% increase each year in per capita growth (PCG). One of the main areas of growth has been to drink water and more tea.
What is influencing the global market today?
Over the last few years, the vast majority of consumers and companies around the world who were asked about where they saw the most significant areas of growth. These were the top trends cited by those in the industry as contributing to the trend.
Sugar Reduction – Overall, producers cited a desire to reduce sugar on the part of consumers as being the number-one industry trend. Consumers are now showing a preference toward consuming either unsweetened drinks or those which are sweetened with natural alternatives. Because of the health risks associated with artificial sweeteners like aspartame and sucralose, consumers who still want sweet drinks are avoiding artificial sweeteners in favor of those sweetened with the herb stevia.
Market researchers have noted that Baby Boomers have limited their consumption of sugar, salt, and foods and beverages containing high-fructose corn syrup and artificial colors and sweeteners. Millennials and Generation Z consumers are doing the same, and are also looking for products containing all-natural ingredients, provide protein, and are lower in calories.
Environmental And Dietary Concerns – According to Howard Telford, Head of Drinks Research at Euromonitor International, ecological concerns have been cited as the area of most interest for consumers. This trend seems to reach across all socio-economic groups and all levels of household income. Consumer sentiment toward protecting the environment and climate also was seen to be an underlying issue for buying choices.
One example cited by Telford was in the area of flavored coffee pods. The single-serving flavored coffees and the machines used to prepare them showed substantial growth between 2016 and 2018. Because of environmental concerns from consumers about the prevalent use of plastics in the production of coffee pods, the trend has caused the products to drop off significantly.
In addition to wanting to decrease the consumption of excess sugar, and avoid the use of plastics in favor of glass or other sustainable forms of packaging, consumers are interested in plant-based ingredients produced by companies which practice the principles of fair trade, are gluten and/or lactose-free, and contain antioxidants.
Choosing Preventative Health
Palates and attitudes have changed over the last decade and are leaning toward more healthful alternatives. Along with the trend toward increased consumer education, they are willing to spend more on dietary supplements and healthy drinks like tea and less money on over the counter medications.
Today, according to Telford, the public is showing an understanding that natural supplements, organic foods, and drinks, “…allow us to take a more proactive rather than reactive approach to our health,” he said. “I think that consumers are willing to accept food and beverages as part of that routine.”Many of the types of beverages that are heading up the current beverage market are those which build up the body’s immunity and have antioxidant properties in them. Today’s young adults are showing a desire to lower their consumption of alcoholic beverages and those products which contain high levels of sugar. They are turning toward those who have more natural ingredients and potential health benefits like tea.
Drinking to a Healthier Future
According to the latest report by market research firm IMARCGroup, ready-to drink-teas which include unsweetened and Kombucha are showing some of the most significant areas of growth across all beverage categories. One reason for this is that consumers are becoming more health-conscious and looking at everyday habits such as drinking tea to help toward prevention and improve overall health. Because drinking tea is considered a beverage for preventative health, the tea market is estimated to rise to more than $3 billion by 2022.
Other Trends to Keep an Eye On
- Educated Consumers – Today’s consumer is more educated on products they consume than ever before. They will not hesitate to do their research. Tea shops, coffee houses, brick and mortar shops and online retailers alike are helping the trend by informing customers about the origins of ingredients, their production and offering education on what to look for in the best tea products.
- Elimination of Plastics By Manufacturers – A recent report issued by the American Chemical Society’s journal Environmental Science & Technology tested four different commercial teas which are packaged in this “silken” tea bags made of nylon release 11.6 billion microplastic and 3.1 billion nanoplastic particles into water that is brought to temperature to make tea. This level of microplastics and nanoplastics places teas made with this type of tea bag thousands of times higher than acceptable levels for other kinds of food.
Researchers are still uncertain if the ingestion of microplastics and nanoplastics can have a detrimental effect on health; however, the World Health Organization (WHO) has raised concerns of the potential of such plastics as posing health risks. Because of continued concerns over plastic use and how it impacts the environment, consumers are going toward teas which are either loose or available in biodegradable paper tea bags. Rest assured, at Sir Jason Winters International we do not use the type of plastic teabags referred to in the aforementioned reports. We only paper paper-based tea bags in our products.
We look forward to continuing to offer the same immune system boosting teas we’ve been selling for decades and do our part to help grow the tea market and help encourage a healthier lifestyle. If you are looking for a beverage that has ethical and healthy ingredients, you’ve come to the right place!
Resources
Bolton, Dan, and Maria Uspenski. “Follow the Leaders: Tea Trends in 2019.” World Tea News, 7 Jan. 2019, www.worldteanews.com/market-trends-data-and-insights/follow-the-leaders-tea-trends-in-2019
“Global Green Tea Market to Reach US$ 25.2 Billion by 2024: IMARC Group.” MarketWatch, IMARC Group, 16 Apr. 2019, www.marketwatch.com/press-release/global-green-tea-market-to-reach-us-252-billion-by-2024-imarc-group-2019-04-16?mod=mw_quote_news
PepsiCo Foodservice. “5 Beverage Trends for 2019-and Beyond.” Restaurant Business, Restaurant Business, 19 Nov. 2018, www.restaurantbusinessonline.com/beverage/5-beverage-trends-2019-beyond
“Tea Trends for 2019.” Tea & Coffee Trade Journal, www.teaandcoffee.net/news/21796/tea-trends-2019/