NATC 2025: Steeps, sips, tea tours, and tariffs
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On December 1, 1773, the ship London arrived in Charles Town, South Carolina carrying 257 chests of East India Company tea. Concerned, Charlestonians called a meeting for December 3rd to organise a protest against the “unconstitutional tea tax.” Although no violent acts of tea destruction occurred, there was a multi-day debate. Ultimately, the tea was confiscated and stored in the Exchange Building and no tea taxes were levied. The citizens allowed the tea to remain in Charles Town but locked away. This event was known as the Charleston Tea Party and was a precursor to the Boston Tea Party on December 16, 1773.
Fortunately, the most recent gathering of ‘tea enthusiasts’ in Charleston (formerly Charles Town) was far more congenial as the city in the Lowcountry played host to the 2025 North American Tea Conference (September 3-5), organised by the Tea Association of the USA. The event, touting the theme, “Steeps and Sips in Charleston”, began with a tour of the Bigelow Tea’s Charleston Tea Garden on Wadmalaw Island on Sept 3rd (see NATC visits Charleston Tea Garden).
Sessions began on Sept 4th lead by Gary Hemphill of the Beverage Marketing Corporation, who gave an overview of the US soft beverages industry, and tea’s – especially ready-to-drink – place within it. He noted that the total US beverage volume performance has been soft in recent years after healthy rebound growth in 2021 coming out of the pandemic. Revenues have generally outpaced volume growth — a trend that has accelerated since 2021 due mostly to high inflation. Bottled water widened its gap as the largest beverage category in the US on a volume basis, with sales topping 16 billion gallons in 2024.
Scott Clemons, partner & chief investment strategist with Brown Brothers Harriman, gave an update on and an outlook for the US economy, with much of the presentation focused on the global tariff situation. He explained that the current tariff regime threatens to knock 1.5-2.0% off the US GDP, enough to slow the economy down, but not enough (on its own) to cause a recession. “Uncertainty poses the greatest threat to business and consumer confidence, and therefore economic activity,” said Clemons, adding that even if tariff uncertainty eases, there are other catalysts for market volatility, both at home and abroad.
Samantha Northcutt, insights director, non-alcoholic beverages with NielsenIQ, gave an overview of the US packaged tea category. She noted almost every shoppe is an ‘omnishopper’ and that packaged tea set to be the next big online category. “The growth of powdered and loose-leaf tea is growing online because consumers are feeling more adventurous and have more options.” She also noted that Gen Z is driving the “matcha madness” but is continually interested in trying new flavours and beverages so innovation is key.
Ian Gibbs, chairman of the International Tea Committee, offered an update on black and green tea production around the world. He also noted that Europe is growing more specialty teas. “The fact that countries in Europe are growing tea means people are closer to tea itself and can visit the farms and see and experience tea first hand rather than having to travel to origin countries which is good for tea,” he shared, adding, “the link between the consumer and producer has never been stronger so we can really get consumers to explore the cultures and experience tea.”
The NATC also welcomed Senator Mutahi Kagwe of Kenya, who currently serves as the Cabinet Secretary for the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock. He was the first Senator to represent Nyeri County — one of Kenya’s leading tea-producing regions.
Senator Kagwe spoke briefly about the Kenyan tea industry, noting that Kenya is the third largest producer of tea globally and the largest exporter of tea, supplying 80 countries. However, he said that currently, Kenya sends only 2% of its tea to the US but would like to export more. Senator Kagwe shared that Kenya is working to open a warehouse facility, in the US, specifically, in Charleston, and that he and other representatives would be meeting with Walmart executives to work on getting Kenya tea into their stores in the US.
At the Chairman’s Award Dinner, the 2025 Gold Medal Tea Awards and Sustainability Awards were presented. Sorwathe/Luxmi Tea Co Pvt Ltd was declared the overall Gold Medal Tea winner for its Black Orthodox (Black OP1) Estate: Rukeri. The Sustainability Award winners were: Amalgamated Plantations Private Limited for Business with a Human Face Eastern; Produce Kenya Limited for EPK’s Special Needs Education Project; and Nepal Tea Collective, Inc for Nepal Tea Revival Project.
The biggest news of the NATC came on the final day in the closing comments when attendees learned that Peter F Goggi, the president of the Tea Association of the USA for the past ten-plus years, is retiring as of December 31, 2025. The search for his successor is underway.
The next North American Tea Conference will take place September 24-26, 2026, in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada, organised by the Tea and Herbal Association of Canada.
