1. Tea Time
One little fact alone can probably explain why tea tops our list of current beverage trends: after water, tea is the most often consumed drink in the world.
Amazingly, innovation in this heavily-exploited segment continues at a fast pace. A renewed focus on fine teas and a growing afternoon tea culture is pushing growth to the luxury end of the market — and demonstrating the sheer diversity of the tea market in the process.
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“There are possibly more than 8000 different varieties of tea and some of these have increased in value thanks to low availability and great flavour,” explains Geralt ME’s Dalia El Bahr, Newby Teas of London’s distributor in the region.
“The fact is that tea can be bought for as little as US $20 per kilo and for over US $1 million per kilo — and with a growing demand for quality — it is inevitable that consumers will move towards finer teas.
“Some of the greatest Oolongs that come from China and Taiwan such as Ali Shan or the Guangzhou Milk Oolong are unheard of in this region and Newby Teas is trying to build that awareness.”
Another factor driving growth in this market segment is the heightened awareness of the health benefits of green tea. Studies show that green tea can improve artery function and reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer.
“The renewed focus on fine teas is partly driven by rising health awareness across the region,” explains La Marquise International’s Darya Yurkina. “The benefits of green and white teas are now widely acknowledged by customers, leading to a real emphasis on high quality. There are now many hotels and restaurants organising fine tea tastings and presentations to educate clients about the benefits of drinking tea.”
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