Tea trends for 2019
With around 165 million cups of tea drunk every day in the UK and more than 51 million avid tea drinkers, it goes without saying that Brits love to start the day with a hot cuppa.
Despite this, the value of tea within the UK foodservice market is increasing, with an impressive growth of 13.6% between 2015 to 2017, demonstrating a strong indication of the increase we shall see by the end of 2019.
Brits are also choosing to spend more money on more ‘luxurious’ items, including tea, and the awareness of tea brands outside the supermarket shelves are on the rise.
Online consumer marketplace OnBuy.com pulled highlights from ‘The Tea Report’ by tea brand, Tetley, to reveal the four major trends that will be shaping all things tea in 2019.
1. Tea with a purpose:
With the health and wellness trend going from strength to strength, consumers are overwhelmed with concerns about ingredients and supplements that can provide nutritional benefits. Demand for functional food and drinks with enhanced health benefits is predicted to have a compound annual growth rate of 5.5% by 2022.
With 1 in 2 Brits already taking vitamins daily to maintain a healthy lifestyle, it comes as no surprise that a new generation of tea-drinkers are actively seeking out functional beverages, from turmeric to added protein. In order to meet their fast-paced lifestyle, beverages must be easy, appealing and ready to grab on-the-go.
2. Innovative flavours:
Tea drinkers are seeking out natural, earthy alternative flavours such as ginger, matcha, turmeric and cumin.
3. New sensations:
Tea has evolved over the past few years and is no longer simply just a hot beverage with the introduction of cold brew and matcha teas.
New texture and sensory experiences are being explored with the global kombucha market expected to experience a significant growth by 2021.
Much like artisanal coffee, this trend puts quality into the limelight, with consumers willing to pay a premium for the very best.
4. Tea reimagined:
In today’s indulgent digital age, it comes as no surprise that consumers are led by social media – capturing everything they do, see, taste and experience, and following the rends set by ‘influencers’.
The experience economy has been extremely influential across all sectors, resulting in customers looking for new ways to experience the things they enjoy.
The premiumisation of tea is expected to reinvent the great British high-tea ritual, resulting in a profitable commodity for brands and cafés. The concept of ‘quintessentially British tea’ will become an art, leading to a theatrical experience that leaves consumers wanting more.
I’m constantly looking for tea flavors that my family might enjoy; hoping to cut back on sweet juice drinks they currently drink.