Japan
Smith Teamaker opens flagship store in Japan
Premium tea brand, Smith Teamaker, opens its first Japanese location in Tokyo’s Shibuya Scramble Square
Ceremonial to TikTok Trending: The Evolution of Matcha
Steeped in centuries of traditions and rituals and once considered a drink only for the Japanese elite, matcha has since become a mainstream consumer product, both in its origin country of Japan and further afield to the US and UK. By Kathryn Brand
Ueshima Coffee Company launches two RTD canned coffees
The Iced Latte and Iced Matcha Latte will be available nationwide, 60 years after Mr Ueshima created the world’s first ever canned coffee in Kobe, Japan.
Promising new green tea markets offset maturing ones
Although consumption in China and Japan has declined over the past few years, it has been offset by consumption growth in new markets such as Africa, India, Europe and North America. By Eugene Gerden
Research finds beneficial lipids in herbal teas
Researchers at Hokkaido University have now identified 341 different molecular species from five categories of lipids in samples of four types of herbal tea.
Crafting sustainable beer with coffee & tea
Asahi YOU. US has found an innovative way to combine waste reduction and sustainability to produce two small batch craft beer lines: using coffee and green tea remnants or by-products. By Yumi Nakatsugawa
The Leafies name its 2023 winners
Tea professionals from all over the world recently gathered to celebrate the winners of this year’s International Tea Academy Awards, The Leafies.
Buds to bolster the demand for flavoured tea
Sales of flavoured teas – both Camellia sinensis and botanical/herbal-based – are booming as the variety of offerings seems endless, which caters to consumers ever-changing palates. Couple that with the numerous functional, health, medical benefits, and the result is a category with continued strong global growth potential. By Divakar Kolhe
Green tea makes global share gains
The global green tea market continues to trend in a positive direction, with signs of further development. The evidence supporting green tea’s improved status can be seen in areas of production, exports, and consumption in major domestic markets. By Jason Walker
Focus on sustainability in packaging intensifies
Brand owners embrace environmentally friendly materials and practices. By Jorge Izquierdo
Japan’s Tea Industry is Still in Post-Covid Recovery Mode
Tea production and consumption in Japan were both severely impacted during the Covid-19 pandemic and both continue to be affected by multiple factors but the situation is slowly improving thanks to smart farming techniques by producers and strong demand by domestic and international consumers. By Yumi Nakatsugawa
Blending, roasting & processing, Business, Equipment & packaging, Origins
The Japan Tea Festival 2022: small but successful in ‘live’ return
The Japan Tea Festival returns with a modified scheduled in its first in-person event since 2019.
Small but mighty: it is time to connect with Generation Alpha
They may still be young, and most of their purchases are still being made by their parents, but Generation Alpha already has a powerful voice, and these ‘new’ consumers, who are the most racially and ethnically diverse group to date, are intent on being heard when it comes to what they like and dislike, what they believe in, and what products and brands align with their values.
The complicated task of categorising ‘specialty’ tea
In a highly complex market, the Western specialty tea stakeholders are striving to achieve a unified operational framework for ‘specialty’ tea – a high added value segment – to ensure a level playing field for the global value chain.