Tea Time Comes to the U.S.

Here’s a compelling fact: besides water, tea is the most widely consumed beverage in the world. Some drink it hot, some like it iced. Many prefer Black, but Green is gaining popularity along with White and Oolong. In fact, tea is making its way to the top of the beverage segment in the U.S.!

Imports have increased year after year, with specialty tea now the fastest growing segment.

What makes a specialty tea so special? According to the Tea Association of the United States of America, specialty teas are high-quality, usually unblended, from a particular region known for its tea. Some specialty teas are even from a specific garden in a specific region, similar to estate wines.  And like wine or coffee enthusiasts, many tea connoisseurs choose specialty teas as much for their relative rarity as for their taste.   

Along with the growing popularity of specialty teas, another reason for tea’s saturation in the U.S. is the ready-to-drink market. The RTD segment has posted double-digit growth in recent years, mainly because of its backing by large beverage companies. In this article (registration may be required) in Gourmet News, Tea Association president Joe Simrany even predicts that sales of RTD tea will soon surpass that of bottled water!  

At GBS, we’re excited to be working with two amazing tea companies:

-Aesop’s Tea, offering Premium Gourmet Loose Leaf Iced Tea- available for wholesale here.

-and MaryAnna’s Tea, offering micro-brewed ready-to-drink Sweet Tea- available in stores in New Jersey, and online here.

Have a gourmet specialty or ready-to-drink tea product you’d like to market? Let us know!