Sumidagawa Brewing.
Image: Yumi Nakatsugwa

Asahi YOU. US, Ltd has found an innovative way to further the circular economy. The wholly owned subsidiary of Asahi Group Japan, Ltd, was established in January 2022 with a focus on sustainable products and activities, not only within the Asahi Group but also in collaboration with municipalities, universities as well as other business entities. Coffee and tea companies are now benefitting from two of its craft beers, Kuramae Black and Sayama Green, which are using coffee and green tea remnants or by-products that are infused into the beer.

Kuramae Black is a coffee-blended stout beer, named Kuramae after the location of Asahi’s initial product partner, Ennoki coffee roastery. The company hopes Kuramae Black will become popular among the local community and be recognised as a special product of the region. As a coffee roaster, Ennoki conducts test roasts before finalising the roasting profile of each coffee bean. They were concerned that there was nothing to do with the remaining test-roasted beans after cupping, other than discard them. Subsequently, Asahi YOU. US developed the idea of making a craft beer using the test-roasted coffee bean.

Kuramae Black launched in July 2021. It is brewed in Sumidagawa Brewing, which had been experimenting with a coffee-flavoured beer for a long time, and it was aware that stout beer could be the best to blend with brewed coffee, as it has some similarities in colour and flavour. “Since we source the test-roasted coffee from Ennoki and another two roasters now, we cannot expect a high level of consistency unlike when we order the specific blend for the product. We closely communicate with those roasters about when and how many beans we need for the next batch so that they can prepare the stock,” said Ichiro Moda, unit leader of Asahi YOU. US. “However, it is inevitable that the taste and flavour of the bean as well as those of Kuramae Black are slightly different each time. We positively see this variability as one of the characteristics of Kuramae Black.”

Sumidagawa Brewing, a microbrewery located on the premises of the Asahi Group’s head office, produces craft beers such as Kuramae Black and Sayama Green. It was originally established in 1995, and now is under the management of Asahi YOU. US. When making Kuramae Black, it brews stout beer and coffee separately, then blends them at about 70 and 30 percent, respectively. The stout beer contains 7-8 percent alcohol, which is reduced to 4.5 percent in Kuramae Black.

Left: Kuramae Black. Right: Sayama Green
Images: Asahi YOU. US, Ltd

Going Green

Sayama Green is beer blended with a green tea infusion, which launched in April 2022. Sayama in Saitama Prefecture, north of Tokyo, is one of the most famous tea-producing districts in Japan. When making Sayama Green, they use a by-product of sencha called keba-cha (hairy tea). Keba-cha is the surface of the stem of the tea leaves that comes off during the rolling and drying process and is separated from the sencha in the final cleaning by a sorting machine.

When producing Sayama Green, keba-cha is brewed in room temperature water for three hours in order to extract a clear liquor with sweetness and umami, without much bitterness or astringency. After the infused keba-cha is strained, the liquor is boiled for a few seconds to sanitise it. Finally, the cooled infusion is blended with an Indian Pale Ale (IPA) of 30 to 70 percent, with an alcohol content of 4.5 percent.

Keba-cha is sourced from three young tea producers in Sayama: Okutomien, Yokotaen and Ishidaen. Masahiro Okutomi of Okutomien explained, “When neatly shaped whole leaf sencha is sorted, some by-products are collected separately such as stems, powdery leaf, keba-cha and so on. Those by-products are still drinkable and usable teas. They are refined by firing or roasting, then sold as stem tea, roasted tea, or powdery tea in tea shops. Keba-cha can be added to tea bags after cutting into smaller particles.” He said that it is also helpful to clean up the tea- processing machines before resuming manufacturing, since the hairy keba-cha can absorb tiny dust or odour in the machines. “We are pleased to offer keba-cha as a raw material for Sayama Green, that is a unique and effective way to utilise keba-cha and increase its value.”

Asahi YOU. US supplies its craft beers in barrels for catering services, mainly beer restaurants or pubs in the neighbouring areas. The canned products are also sold in liquor shops or ecommerce sites. The company produced 3,300 litres of Kuramae Black in 2022 and estimates it will produce 4,200 litres in 2023. Asahi YOU brewed 4,050 litres of Sayama Green in 2022 and expects 4,100 in 2023.

• Yumi Nakatsugawa has been working as a freelance writer specialising in food and restaurant management. While freelancing, she developed a love of black tea as well as tea- producing countries and tea people. Her passion for black tea has brought her to Sri Lanka, India, Kenya, Indonesia, Nepal, Malaysia, and Papua New Guinea to see tea production firsthand. Based in Japan, Yumi may be reached at: ym_n@nifty.com.

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A limited edition that will launch in time for festive celebrations and Dry January, the collaboration is back for the third year. MOMO X Orbit Beers Hops Kombucha is made with Hallertau Blanc and Nelson Sauvin hops that provide tropical fruit and gooseberry flavours, rounded out with a tart kombucha. Hops have a complex flavour base, mapping citrus tones and herbal, earthy notes, which make them a match for fully fermented tart kombucha like MOMO’s. A non-alcoholic option that beer drinkers can get truly excited about, says the company.

Co-founder of MOMO Kombucha, Josh Puddle, commented, “We could think of no better partner than Orbit Beers, we’ve admired their traditional method of making European beer with a modern twist down the road in South East London for many years. This traditional approach with a flavour focused modern spin felt like a natural fit for the way we brew. This is our third limited edition special, and we are so grateful to have partnered with Orbit. Their beers can regularly be found in our brewery fridge (for when a kombucha can’t quite cut it) and Orbit supply some of our favourite pubs and restaurants in London. Thanks also to our head brewer, Matt Canham, for the creation of this delicious kombucha – it could be our best yet.”

Robert Middleton, founder of Orbit Beers added, “We’ve admired MOMO’s traditional method of brewing kombucha down the road in South London for many years and love working with and sharing recipes and ideas with their team. Our first collaborative batch was brewed in January 2021. It was so well received, winning a Great Taste Award, that we decided to brew it for the third time, in time for Dry January 2024. One of the main reasons we fell in love with kombucha (apart from the delicious taste) is the benefits for our gut microbiome.”

For every bottle sold, MOMO will contribute 10p to Save the Children’s Gaza appeal, supporting children affected by the crisis in the region.

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Throat Coat Tea is a herbal tea blend that supports throat health and relieves irritation and discomfort. Crafted by a team of herbalists, chemists, and ethnobotanists, this tea harnesses the benefits of the slippery elm tree, which has played an important role in Native American herbal medicine for hundreds of years. Inspired by its traditional use, Traditional Medicinals has sourced slippery elm domestically for almost 50 years from Appalachia, where families collect the bark sustainably by hand to protect the trees for future generations. Featuring organic licquorice root alongside the organic slippery elm bark, this tea is silky, sweet, and caffeine-free, says the company.

“Warm liquids can be soothing, and this blend from Traditional Medicinals is designed to support throat health. It smells sweet and like licquorice. It’s also slightly woody. It’s organic, and the brand is B-corp certified,” said Good Housekeeping’s team of experts.

The team at Good Housekeeping spent months reviewing 300 kitchen, coffee, and tea products to determine the best of the best. The in-house team of Kitchen Appliance Lab analysts, Test Kitchen pros, and registered dieticians teamed up with judges Kaleena Teoh, the co-founder, and director of education at Coffee Project New York, and tea sommelier Gabrielle Jammal—plus more than 1,000 consumer testers—to find the most innovative, high-performing products on the market right now.

“We are thrilled that Throat Coat has received this well-deserved recognition. The dedicated experts at Good Housekeeping have wholeheartedly endorsed it as a warm, invigorating, and efficacious tea,” said Kristel Corson, Chief Marketing Officer of Traditional Medicinals. “Throat Coat has seamlessly woven itself into the daily rituals of countless individuals, be it as a soothing start to their mornings, a comforting companion to their bedtime routines, or an essential travel companion. Singers, announcers, podcasters, teachers, and a diverse range of professionals all rely on the soothing benefits of Throat Coat.”

Throat Coat tea is made with organic and non-GMO ingredients, free from synthetic pesticides, herbicides, and genetically modified organisms for a healthier and more sustainable choice. It is individually wrapped and requires just boiling water to steep a restorative and delicious cup of tea. The herbs are thoroughly tested from field to cup to ensure ingredient identity, purity, and composition at our local renewable energy-powered facility in Sebastopol, California.

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

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The Great Taste Awards are held annually, with the results being announced in August where, this year Novus won one of the ten prestigious Triple Gold Medals (the highest award) in the ‘Alternative lattes and cold brew infusions’ category.

Rooibos Espresso tea has been designed to be drunk as an authentic tea latte and produces a prominent tea note which cuts through the textured latte milk.  The tea itself is recovered from the sieving process at a South African plantation to produce Novus Tea’s super grade long-cut Rooibos.

Allan Pirret, sales director for Novus Tea, explains the roots of the award-winning beverage: “While Rooibos is a herbal tea, from the Western Cape Region, it is a red leaf tea with real depth and body, which is why it can be prepared in a standard espresso machine.

Although we have been buying from the grower for some years, our decision to start distributing the Rooibos Espresso came about as the result of discussion during the pandemic, when they explained to us about the very fine particles which they had started recovering from the sieving process, which would otherwise go to waste.  These are so fine they can be processed in a standard espresso machine, though we have had to design and produce a special filter basket which we offer to customers. This slows the extraction process down – and produces a crema which has the latte milk added afterwards.”

The judges were commented on the new tea; “Visually beautiful with a surprising amount of body and we really liked the earthy floral subtle bergamot undertones – a delightful drink.”

Another added: “Sweet and herby on the nose – this carries through well to the palate.  The sweet reddish colour is stunning – we loved the new way of drinking Rooibos, heavenly with milk,” and a third judge observed: “The product works well as a latte, with the addition of milk adding to the complexity and depth of fruit and floral flavours.”

Essentially, Rooibos tastes of honey, orange and vanilla, with buyers liking its many sustainable features: the fact that it is naturally decaffeinated means that it does not need to be processed to remove the caffeine content.  Plus, it is produced from what is arguably waste material and is vegan-friendly, so is right on trend for those looking for a healthy alternative in their tea.

Recently sampled at London Coffee Festival by coffee fans and experts, the taste was exceptionally well received, with tasters enjoying the vibrant orange colour of the tea latte.

Available in packs of six, 1kg pouches, the wholesale price comes in at just over GBP £18 per kilogram. It will also be available online in 250g form for consumers.

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Jordan Moore, director, emerging beverages at market research firm, NIQ Consumer & Category Outlook, noted that, although inflation may be decelerating, prices are still trending higher. In fact, CPG inflation has been well above the general inflation average in the US. “Consumers are feeling the pinch, with buying power significantly eroded,” she said, adding that consumers are spending 33% more at the grocery in the past 3+ years.

Any growth is largely inflationary as dollar growth is slowing, and shipments are down, but costs are higher. Tea volumes have been affected by the double-digit price increases. “RTD tea is still outperforming packaged tea, both black and green, with green experiencing the largest drop,” said Moore.

Gary Hemphill, managing director of research at the Beverage Marketing Group, echoed Moore’s comments, explaining that after the pandemic, consumer confidence dropped sharply. “US beverage market growth has been soft in 2022 and 2023 after a pandemic-induced performance rebound in 2021. Revenues have generally outpaced volume growth — a trend that has accelerated since 2021 due mostly to high inflation.”

Refreshment beverages have outperformed the overall beverage market, but volume performance has been soft the last two years, with most refreshment beverage categories experiencing slower growth in 2023. Hemphill said that the total tea category has been soft in recent years as the overall category has experienced modest declines. RTD tea returned to volume losses in 2022 and 2023, after pandemic recovery-based growth in 2021, but he shared, “the category remains well-positioned from a health and wellness perspective.”

It’s not ‘new’ news to say that health and wellness are key market drivers. Hence, beverage categories with health wellness attributes are outperforming those without. “People want healthier refreshment; caloric intake from refreshment beverages has been steadily declining over the last decade,” Hemphill commented, noting that “the diet segment of RTD tea is one of the best developed in all liquid refreshment beverage categories because it also includes unsweetened product.”

As consumers migrate to healthier options, they want more variety, and RTD tea offers that. The bulk of the RTD tea category is comprised of mainstream brands – PepsiCo/Lipton, Arizona and Coca-Cola are the leaders in the RTD tea category with the three combined accounting for more than half of the RTD category – however, both premium and specialty tea have made slight share gains in recent years, as more innovation is coming at the high end of the market.

“Innovations have played a key role in RTD tea, although much of the recent innovation has been in tea-adjacent categories,” Hemphill explained. “Much of the growth of RTD tea has been hived off into separate categories such as kombucha and mate/guayusa, but there are also other attempts at innovation such as cold brew and even herbal tea-based wellness soda.”

He noted that increasingly, there is an overlapping of alcohol and no-alcohol categories. “RTD tea is no exception, providing the foundation for alternative adult beverages such as hard teas and cannabis-infused tea drinks.”

Hemphill stressed that competition in refreshment beverages is fierce with innovation coming from within categories along with new categories emerging.

Beverage-wise, consumers have more than ever to choose from, so for RTD tea to successfully compete, brands must remain innovative and continue to meet consumers’ changing demands and needs.

• Vanessa L Facenda, editor, Tea & Coffee Trade Journal.
  Keep in touch via email: vanessa@bellpublishing.com Twitter: @TCTradeJournal or LinkedIn: Tea & Coffee Trade Journal

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A total of thirty-six Highly Commended and thirteen Gold awards were presented by The Leafies judges, which include preeminent tea leaders from brands such as Fortnum & Mason, The Ritz London, Postcard Teas, Twinings, Lipton and more. A selection of Special Awards were also presented to individuals, estates, or institutions that were effecting positive change within the industry in areas such as education, community empowerment, innovation and environmental stewardship.

This winner of the Fortnum & Mason Best in Show award, and therefore the highest scoring tea of the entire competition, is Yame Tea Kumaen’s Gyokuro Saemidori, an exquisite steamed green tea produced by a tiny tea garden in a remote mountainous region in Fukuoka, Japan. Guests at the ceremony were able to sample this tea, brewed by Kazumi Nakatani who travelled from Japan, amongst twenty-five of the award-winning teas made available to taste.

Zealong Tea Estate were another notable winner of the afternoon, scooping three awards in total for its Aged Oolong, Aromatic Oolong and the UKTA Lifetime Achievement Award, recognising Zealong’s phenomenal efforts pioneering a tea culture in New Zealand and demonstrating a tireless commitment to environmental regeneration through its sustainable farming practice. Zealong CEO Gigi Crawford and International Marketing Manager Sen Kong were present at the ceremony to serve their teas and said “this award acknowledges 25 years of hard work bringing about a tea industry and culture in New Zealand by Zealong Tea Estate, we are deeply honoured and grateful to receive this award.”

The Leafies aims to connect primary tea producers with buyers and hospitality professionals and offer exposure to a global tea-focused market. A selection of winners will once again be selected for sale across Fortnum & Mason’s Rare Tea Counter, where six winning teas from last year are still currently being sold. Ottilie Cunningham, tea buyer for Fortnum & Mason, said, “An enormous thank you and huge congratulations to everyone for another successful year of The Leafies. The organisation that goes into the entire thing is immense and it is really exciting to see how much it has grown since last year’s launch.”

New for this year were categories for retailers who are selling tea online or in store and connecting tea drinkers with carefully selected high-quality teas. Triple award-winning Japanese tea shop, Chaki Co was started by three former tea producers in March this year. Dorothy’s Teas, a former UK Tea Academy student and retailer based in Cumbria, UK, won Gold in the BRITA sponsored White Tea category for her Shannon Estate Silver Needles White Tea.

The full list of winners is available on the UK Tea Academy website here.

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Tea already has a ‘health halo’ with 54% of UK consumers believing that green tea has a positive impact on their health (per GlobalData Plc, 2022). Functional teas take this one step further and combine tea with botanicals and fortifications to offer a specific benefit and create products that deliver a compelling health proposition for consumers.

Super teas arrived in the UK in 2015 when Tetley brought out the first ever range of EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) backed Super Green and Super Fruit teas. This paved the way for other brands and supermarket own brands to capitalise with new products being put on the supermarket shelf at a faster rate than in any other tea sector.

And it’s not just physical health — post Covid, consumers are increasingly seeking products that promise psychological or emotional benefits too. Claims relating to sleep or stress management attract the most activity, with one in ten new products using these claims according to Mintel’s Tea and other Hot Drinks Report, 2022.

How can brands capitalise?

The key to capitalising on this trend is for retailers and brand owners to understand the top claims and flavours that appeal to consumers. The traditional black tea market is still significant with over 85% share, but consumers are seeking variety when shopping this category and have a higher preference for healthy beverages than ever before. With a slightly higher price premium than other ‘tea’ products, not only do functional teas add choice to the fixture, but they also help to drive value into the category.

What’s next for functional tea?

In my view, this is just the start of the super tea trend. As consumer tastes evolve and demand for functional food and beverage heightens, there is huge opportunity for retailers to increase sales by looking beyond what is happening now and asking what will happen next. Tea – with its health halo – will be a mainstay, as will botanical infusions… but inspiration can be found in other categories and markets, where emerging ingredients such as mushroom tea, protein tea and adaptogens like ashwaganda are increasingly popular.

The key, as ever, is to join forces with an expert partner, who can help you stay ahead of the curve and tap into the extremely exciting opportunities within the functional beverage space.

• Rebecca Coath, category manager at Finlay Beverages, analyses the rise of functional teas in the UK and where the trend might be going next.

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Convenience may be a catalyst for RTD tea sales, but the category in North America is also benefitting from continued innovation, expanding flavours and, of course, meeting consumer wellness demands for healthier options. By Shambhu Nath Jha

In 2023, the global market for ready-to-drink tea is assessed to hold a valuation of USD $34 billion, with a projected growth trajectory at a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of eight percent from 2023 to 2033. Rising consumer preference for convenient and on-the-go beverage options align with the hassle-free nature of ready-to-drink teas. As per global market research firm, FactMR, the market is segmented by product type (herbal, black tea, green tea, others), by sales channel (direct sales, indirect sales), and by region (North America, Europe, Latin America, South Asia and Oceania, Middle East, and Africa).

RTD tea sales in North America

In North America, the ready-to-drink tea market holds a significant portion of the total market share, amounting to 32.2 percent, and is projected to experience a CAGR of 5.6 percent. In North America, convenience and health-consciousness drive the demand, with consumers valuing portable, on-the-go options and seeking beverages with perceived wellness attributes.

Moreover, increasing awareness of health benefits associated with tea consumption, such as antioxidants and potential stress reduction, has driven health-conscious consumers towards these products. Besides this, innovations in flavours and packaging formats further attract a broader consumer base.

Ultimately, the trend towards natural and organic ingredients in beverages has led to the development of healthier ready-to-drink (RTD) tea options, appealing to a segment seeking more wholesome choices. The RTD market in North America has experienced substantial growth and continues to evolve due to other factors such as:

• Shift away from sugary beverages: Concerns about sugar consumption and its impact on health have led many consumers in North America to opt for RTD beverages as an alternative to sugary sodas and juices. Moreover, the rising rates of obesity in North America have drawn significant attention from healthcare professionals, policymakers, and the general public. Sugary beverages, including sodas and fruit juices, have been identified as a major contributor to excess sugar and calorie intake, making them a target for reduction.
• Diverse flavour profiles: North America October 2023 is a melting pot of cultures and ethnicities, and as such, it boasts a highly diverse population with varying taste preferences. People from different backgrounds have grown up with distinct flavour profiles and culinary traditions. RTD brands recognise this diversity and seek to tap into the various regional and cultural tastes prevalent in the market.
• Premiumisation is on the rise: The concept of premiumisation in the North American RTD beverage market refers to the growing trend where consumers are willing to pay a higher price for RTD options that are perceived as higher in quality, and uniqueness, and often associated with artisanal, small-batch, or organic production.

While TAZO is known for its hot tea offerings, it has also ventured into the RTD market. Image credit: Unilever

Forecast trends for North America

The evolving landscape of the RTD tea market in North America reflects consumer preferences for health, sustainability, personalisation, and diverse flavour experiences. It is important for businesses in this industry to stay attuned to these trends and adapt their strategies accordingly.

Consumers in North America are expected to seek out RTD teas that offer functional benefits, such as probiotics, adaptogens and added vitamins or minerals, to support overall health and wellness. Functional ingredients like probiotics for gut health, adaptogens for stress relief, and added vitamins or minerals for overall wellness are expected to be sought after.

Moreover, as the beverage landscape evolves, RTD teas may overlap with other categories like functional beverages, herbal tonics and wellness drinks. This trend suggests that consumers may have access to a wider range of beverage options with diverse health benefits. The boundary between traditional RTD teas and other beverage categories (functional drinks, herbal tonics, and wellness beverages) is expected to blur, leading to a greater variety of hybrid products.

RTD teas with specific health-enhancing properties, such as those promoting gut health, reducing stress or boosting immunity, are anticipated to gain popularity among consumers looking for functional and health- conscious beverage choices. Moreover, caffeine- free and low-caffeine options address the increasing demand for beverages that provide an energy boost without the stimulating effects of caffeine. RTD teas with low or no caffeine content cater to consumers seeking alternative options to high-caffeine beverages.

RTD tea companies are anticipated to introduce a wider range of unique and exotic flavours, as well as explore innovative brewing techniques and herbal infusions to cater to diverse consumer preferences. It lends into consumers’ desire for diverse and exciting taste experiences. Advancements in brewing techniques, including cold brew, nitro-infusion, and tea concentrates, are reshaping the RTD tea market by offering consumers a wider spectrum of taste experiences and product choices. These innovations cater to the evolving preferences of consumers who are seeking unique, high- quality, and customisable RTD tea options, contributing to the continued growth and diversification of the RTD tea industry.

The RTD tea market in North America, although growing, faces several challenges that industry players need to address to maintain and expand their market share. Some of the key challenges include:

• While RTD teas are often marketed as healthier alternatives to sugary soft drinks, they still face scrutiny over their sugar content, artificial additives and preservatives. Consumers are increasingly health-conscious, and brands must respond by offering low-sugar, natural ingredient options and transparent labelling.

• Environmental concerns, such as plastic waste and the carbon footprint of packaging and transportation, are critical challenges. RTD tea brands are under pressure to adopt sustainable packaging practices, reduce plastic usage, and implement eco-friendly distribution methods.
• Many consumers are not fully aware of the benefits of RTD teas, including the potential health benefits associated with certain types of teas (eg, green tea) and functional ingredients (eg, antioxidants). Brands must invest in consumer education to highlight the value and nutritional advantages of their products

Starbucks’ Teavana Craft Iced Tea line focuses on high- quality, handcrafted tea beverages. Image credit: Starbucks

An intensely competitive market

The RTD tea market in North America is characterised by intense competition among a diverse range of players. Established beverage giants, as well as smaller regional companies, vie for market share in this segment. Key companies in the market are Danone, Harney & Sons Fine Teas, Nestlé SA, Snapple Beverage Corp, Starbucks Corporation, Beam Suntory, Inc, Tata Consumer Products Ltd, The Coca-Cola Company, The Republic of Tea, and Unilever Plc.

• Key players often focus on product innovation and diversification, introducing new flavours, formulations, and packaging to cater to evolving consumer preferences. Moreover, new flavours and formulations cater to diverse consumer tastes, ensuring that the product portfolio remains fresh and appealing. Innovative packaging not only enhances product shelf appeal but also improves convenience, such as resealable bottles or eco-friendly packaging options.
• Competitors in the market focus on marketing strategies that include social media engagement, celebrity endorsements, and health-focused campaigns to differentiate brands and attract a wider audience. Given the growing consumer interest in health and wellness, many RTD tea brands emphasise the health benefits of their products through advertising campaigns. This includes highlighting ingredients like antioxidants, vitamins, and natural ingredients that promote well-being.
• Distribution networks also play a pivotal role, with companies leveraging both traditional retail channels and e-commerce platforms to ensure widespread availability. The rise of e-commerce has revolutionised the way consumers purchase beverages. Many RTD tea brands establish an online presence through their websites or partner with online retailers to provide easy access to their products. This is especially important for reaching consumers who prefer shopping online or those in areas with limited physical retail access.

Some examples of the leading brands in the North American market:

• Pure Leaf, owned by PepsiCo: offers a wide range of RTD tea products. It continuously introduces new flavours and blends, such as its Pure Leaf Herbal Iced Tea Collection, featuring unique herbal infusions like hibiscus, chamomile and peppermint.

• Teavana Craft Iced Tea (Starbucks): Starbucks’ Teavana Craft Iced Tea line focuses on high-quality, handcrafted tea beverages. It has introduced unique and innovative flavours, including Teavana Craft Iced Tea Pineapple Berry Blue Herbal Tea.
• Tradewinds (NestléWaters): Tradewinds, a brand under Nestlé Waters, specialises in specialty RTD teas. It has introduced unique flavour combinations like Tradewinds Slow Brewed Iced Tea with Honey and Ginseng.
• TAZO (Unilever): While TAZO is known for its hot tea offerings, it has also ventured into the RTD market. Its bottled TAZO Tea Latte range offers consumers a unique and convenient way to enjoy specialty tea beverages.

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In June 2021, Shanghai police broke up a ring of pu’er counterfeiting dens and confiscated over ten tonnes of fake pu’er cakes that would have been sold for an estimated 1.8 billion RMB (about USD $250 million). The police made a public display of destroying the seized teas, which included a road roller pulverising the fake cakes.

Police busts like this in China are not uncommon. Guangzhou police confiscated about 23,000 cakes in 2014, and 120,000 cakes again in 2018. Counterfeiting pu’er cakes appears to be big business.

Shanghai police steamroll counterfeit pu’er teas in June 2021. Image source: zhuanlan.zhihu.com/p/420794580

Authentic pu’er cakes can be quite pricey. The value of pu’er is due to a combination of several factors. Pressed pu’er cakes can be aged for decades or even centuries. A properly aged pu’er is comparable to an aged bourbon or wine in that aged pu’er are appreciated for their exquisite character. Use of the name “pu’er” or “pu’erh” has also been deemed a protected geographical indication (PGI) within China since 2008, and a 2021 China/EU agreement expanded its international recognition.

Pu’er tea can only be produced within designated areas in Yunnan province. This PGI creates further constrictions on producers of authentic pu’er in that they now have a more defined region from which they must procure leaf of various quality levels and sizes to follow blend recipes. The more highly prized pu’er often comes from celebrated mountains where tea trees have been growing for hundreds of years. Generally, the better the mountain’s reputation and the more ancient the source tea trees, the more valuable the pu’er.

Before delving further into the nuances of pu’er and counterfeit pu’er, it helps to have some definitions in place. Outside of China, “pu’er” may be used to refer to many different dark teas. Dark teas are teas that have undergone a pile fermentation process in which bacteria and enzymes break down elements like naturally occurring sugars and amino acids in the tea leaves. This process is different from oxidation, the more common process that is controlled to create green, black, and wulong (oolong) teas. Dark teas are produced in Yunnan province as well as other provinces. Hunan province, for example, is known for producing various styles of dark tea, but Hunan dark teas would not be considered pu’er teas in China. Additionally, lower grade pu’er products, like some fannings and bulk leaf products bound for the export market, may be manufactured in the pu’er style in places outside of the PGI designated areas. These lower value pu’er items are best understood by the import countries as a product reflecting shu (see below) pu’er flavour and character without the intent of infringing on PGI status or counterfeiting.

Pu’er teas come from designated areas within Yunnan province. PGI and China domestic designations specify that pu’er tea must meet several criteria, including:

• The leaf material must come from the designated pu’er areas;
• The type of leaf used;
• The processing methods used.

When these criteria are met, two kinds of pu’er can be produced:

• Raw, or “sheng” pu’er. Sheng pu’er is a greener leaf that is often pressed into cakes for the purpose of aging over years or decades. The fundamentals of the traditional sheng pu’er process have been used for centuries.
• Ripe or “shu” pu’er. Shu pu’ers and shu pu’er processing methods were developed roughly 50 years ago to replicate some of the look and characteristics of sheng pu’er. It can be thought of as a type of rapid aging process, but the result is considered inferior to a well-aged sheng pu’er.

Modern pu’er cake nei fei with anti-counterfeiting features. Image: Google/JW Kaler

On the counterfeiting side, forgers employ several methods to create fakes. The more egregious counterfeits copy the packaging of well-known pu’er brands. This involves copying the outer wrapper of the pu’er cake along with the nei fei (paper label pressed into the surface leaves of the pu’er cake) and the nei piao (paper ‘ticket’ placed on top of the cake before wrapping the cake. More modern pu’er cakes employ anti-counterfeiting measures on their internal and external packaging.

In addition to imitating famous brands, counterfeiters may also use substandard tea leaf or leaf from outside of the official pu’er area. The overall quality of the tea cake may be compromised, with higher quality leaves showing on the outside of the pressed pu’er cake, while broken and poor quality leaves are used below the surface of the pressed cake. Newer and lesser-known pu’er brands may also falsify information on the mountain or the age of the trees that the leaf material came from, knowing that older trees and specific mountain origins command higher prices.

The impact is vague

Counterfeiting pu’er may be a lucrative criminal business within China, but the impact outside of China is less clear. China’s annual production records provide a breakdown of overall dark teas produced each year. Export data is classified differently. In December 2020, the China Customs Tariff Commission of the State Council adjusted the export codes used to delineate exports of shu pu’er from other dark teas. No separate designation for sheng pu’ers was provided. Reports tell us that China consumed 364,000 metric tonnes (mt) of dark tea in 2022. The average price was 88.19 RMB per kg, compared to 160.99 RMB per kg for green tea.

Exports of shu pu’er totalled 1,916mt, or 0.5 percent of all 2022 tea exports. In comparison, 351mt of dark tea was exported. A further breakdown is harder to find, but well established pockets of pu’er and dark tea consumers can be found in Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Malaysia. These export destinations are also known to have communities of pu’er and dark tea collectors who seek out rare and high quality teas. The climates of these areas are considered ideal for naturally aging these teas.

Pu’er and dark tea consumers outside of China have a limited range of options to avoid purchasing counterfeit pu’er. For starters, it is the more expensive pu’er that gets copied, so one should exercise caution when purchasing pu’ers that are decades old with asking prices in the thousands of USD. In the United States and other countries that do not recognise PGI, problems also arise when “pu’er” gets used as a broad category term for a wider variety of dark teas. In such situations, a reputable vendor is important in verifying whether a pu’er product complies with GI standards used in China or the EU. When purchasing pu’er pressed cakes, experienced buyers have learned how to examine the inner and outer packaging (ie, the wrapper, nei fei, and nei piao) for evidence of forgery.

Counterfeit pu’er teas remain an ongoing problem, particularly for investment-grade pu’er cakes. However, opportunities to avoid fraudulent purchases exist where traceability of geographic indicated products and anti-counterfeiting packaging practices are properly scrutinised. In some regions of the world, better distinctions between dark tea and pu’er will also enable customers to better understand the kinds of teas they purchase.

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Tea has been enjoying its fair share of popularity since the last several decades – centuries, even – so much so that there are people whose day does not start in the true sense without taking a sip of hot tea. Plus, tea is known as a good antioxidant.

With regard to flavoured tea, the very concept springs from the fact that ‘variety is the spice of life.’ Breaking the monotonous rut is what humankind cares the most about. Tea has come a long way over the last few years in terms of flavours and the way they are being devised and marketed. Starting with fruits, the flavours have made a beeline to flowers, alcohols, and several chemical compounds. For instance, amyl acetate, which gives banana flavour, is distilled from real bananas. The mixture of amyl alcohol and vinegar also gives a banana flavour, but then it won’t be termed as ‘natural. Likewise, strawberry flavour could be devised naturally as well as artificially.

The best part about tea leaves is that most are receptive to flavours. It has been found that green and black tea leaves go well with almost every type of flavour. Dry flavours do well with loose teas, whereas liquid ones work for the teabags.

There are several variants regarding tea flavours as follows:

• Natural extracts: These flavours come from extracts of the essential oils of the blossoms, fruits, leaves, roots, and likewise. The basic function of these extracts is that of contributing to fragrance of teas.
• Natural granules: These granules, as the name suggests, come from natural essence that is spread on tea leaves all through. The mixing happens till blending with leaves happens. Most flavours come from granules comprising blossom, herb, and fruit extracts. Also, herbal infusions come as inclusions, which are solid particles of fruits, herbs, spices, and blossoms mixed with tea leaves on direct basis — when steeped, the right taste is obtained.
• Nature-close flavours: These are the flavours extracted through chemical processes. There is not much difference between natural and nature-close flavours except for the extraction process. Preserving turns out to be simpler as compared to natural processes and cost-effective. It needs to be noted that here the extraction is artificial, not the flavour.
• Artificial flavours: The name is self-explanatory. The flavours are created artificially to make stronger and better blends.

Another variety is that of scented tea. It is obtained from flowers like jasmine. Also, smoked tea is popular, which is processed around cypress or pine wood fires.

Medical benefits of flavoured tea

Tea has many healthy attributes such as being ‘chock full’ of antioxidants, polyphenols, and catechins, but there are also many medical benefits associated with various teas.

Earl Grey tea, for example, is a popular flavour that is formed by blending bergamot oil and tea leaves. The medical benefits include improvement in dental health, reduction of anxiety, helping in digestion, increasing energy levels, and body detox. Elderflower tea, a flavoured tea that is especially popular in Europe, is derived from a cream-coloured flower (elderflower) of the elderberry plant. This tea is a rich source of vitamin A, C and several essential nutrients. Apart from Europe, North America is the other major consumer of elderflower tea. In terms of medical benefits, elderflower tea relieves from fever, cough, headache, and cold. The respiratory disorders like tonsillitis, asthma, laryngitis, and others could also be relieved by drinking elderflower tea.

Though its origins could be traced to China, green tea’s popularity is unmatched across now. Japanese green teas are inclusive of hojicha, genmaicha, tencha, matcha, kabusecha, gyokuro, and sencha. Green tea is available in the form of iced green tea, green tea instant mixes, and green tea bags. The flavours include jasmine, wild berry, cinnamon, vanilla, lemon, and aloe vera. It helps in prevention of loads of ailments like tooth decay, diabetes, cancer, heart disorders by ascertain maintenance of proper blood level and cholesterol all over the body.

The least processed leaves on the part of Camellia sinensis produce white tea. It comprises juvenile buds. The floral-fruity flavour finds its applications in various industries like pharmaceuticals and cosmetics. It does possess anti-microbial properties and acts as an excellent antioxidant.

Those vying for clean label products will sync with detox tea, which is conventional as well as organic. Detox tea, as the name suggests, helps in intestinal detox, liver detox, cardiac detox, and likewise.

Delving into flavoured tea

By type, bubble tea could be categorised as chocolate, fruits and berries, mixed/blend flavours, and honey. It is popular in the Asia Pacific, India, in particular. The latest offerings include fresh ingredients like fresh fruit, organic cream, green tea, and soy milk.

Amongst the instant tea mixes, encapsulated tea is trending in certain regions at the moment. Encapsulation is a technique to protect or entrap fragrance and flavours within a coating material. Encapsulated tea reduces the preparation time for the drink. The flavours available include cranberry, raspberry, mango, and lemonade. These flavours are captured by entrapping them within the tea leaves.

As far as alcoholic tea is concerned, it comes in a wide range of flavours including coconut, mint, peach, cucumber, lime, sweet apricot, mango, and berries.

In a nutshell, flavoured tea will continue to evolve as the taste buds of consumers will ask for more variations and there would be no stoppage to research being conducted therein.

• Divakar Kolhe is a tech blogger, is a seasoned digital marketing professional, having worked for numerous online firms in his distinguished career. He believes in continuous learning, considering that the digital marketing sector’s rapidly evolving nature. His forte is analysing the commercial viability of a new breakthrough.

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