Although loose leaf
tea was extremely popular in colonial times, the consumption of loose-leaf tea
gradually changed and recently the American market for tea has been generally
confined to iced tea and tea in bags.
Loose leaf tea was
introduced to America at the same time of introduction to Europe. As early as
1650 Dutch traders were active in the tea trade and Peter Stuyvesant, as an
early governor of the New York colony, brought the first tea to New York.
Loose leaf tea was
so popular in colonial New York that at one time the small colony consumed more
loose-leaf tea than all of England. This popularity was equally evident in the
other colonies.
Gradually however,
the American tea market changed. America made two unique contributions to the
tea world in the form of iced tea and the tea bag and both were invented in the
early 1900’s. Presently, 80% of the tea consumed in the United States is iced
tea and of the remaining 20% of tea consumption, most is consumed in the form
of bagged tea.
There is growing
resurgence of demand for loose leaf tea in the United States however, driven by
a greater awareness of the health benefits and quality of the loose-leaf tea experience.
As demand increases, new opportunities arise for the entrepreneur who wishes to
market and sell loose leaf tea.
The total number of
loose-leaf tea products and annual volume and value levels within the U.S. have
reached record levels. In fact, 2003 sales levels of loose-leaf tea sold in the
U.S. reached nearly $1.1 billion, representing an increase of 15% over total
retail volume sold in 2002.
Total sales of all
types of tea - conventional and specialty - products sold in the U.S. topped
$5.1 billion in 2003 with virtually all of the volume and value growth being
derived from value-added, loose leaf teas.
The 5th Edition of
the “Tea is ‘Hot’ Report,” which is published annually by Sage Group
International, Seattle, WA, forecasted tea sales would reach $10 billion by
2010. This conclusion was based largely on the projected demands of American
“baby boomers”, who are increasingly embracing loose leaf tea as their primary
daily beverage. In 1990, annual sales of all specialty and conventional tea in
the U.S. totalled less than $1 billion.
For much of the
last five years tea-based beverage products made from and packaged as
“conventional tea” have been experiencing flat or declining sales in the face
of mounting “cannibalization” of the category from “new age” drinks specialty
coffee and soda pop, while most loose-leaf tea categories are experiencing
double-digit growth, primarily in U.S. natural foods supermarkets.
Annual sales growth
of 15% or even higher has been common for many loose-leaf tea lines between
2000 and 2004, as well as those offering certified organic, chai, green and
functional tea beverages.
The key factor in
this rapid growth and demand however, is quality. Loose-leaf tea is all about
quality and only those tea companies that maintain consistent product quality
will grow along with the market.
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