CONSUMER INTEREST IN HEALTH & WELLNESS
The growing emphasis on a healthy lifestyle “has shifted consumers toward healthier beverages, thus driving the growth of tea-based beverages and its use as a functional ingredient.”1
The healthy eating index is expected to continue its recent increase2, and the beverage industry is one of many that has responded to—and benefitted from—this corresponding upward trend in health and wellness products.
“While sales of traditional drinks continue to decline, alternative products, including natural and organic beverages, continue to see sales growth.”3 In fact, natural refreshment drinks are driving 31 percent of dollar growth.4
Tea is perceived as inherently ‘clean’. Add its healthful association and its ability to work with a variety of other ingredients (further enhancing its health perception), and you have got a winning combination.
The RTD tea market segment is poised for growth, as “total retail sales of tea are expected to continue upward through 2020 as consumers search for BFY (better-for-you) beverage options, growing 19.7% from 2015-20 to $8.5 billion.”5
Iced tea has been identified as one of the major growth opportunities in the packaged soft drinks industry.6
Tea brewing methods and its natural earthy flavor allow new blends and since it goes well with numerous fruits and herbs, beverage makers can create a wide range of flavor combinations. These unique blends allow manufacturers to incorporate new nutritional benefits in their drinks, while providing adventurous drinkers with a unique experience.7 Flavor versatility is the key to growth, and has encouraged beverage makers to release exotic flavored teas to entice customers.8
Unlike the majority of general tea ingredient manufacturers, Amelia Bay has the ability to capture all of tea’s volatiles for complete flavor and aroma notes, through their all-natural, proprietary brewing process. Since everything ‘tea’ is captured, there is no need to add anything additional to recapture flavor in an Amelia Bay brewed tea.
The Perfect Balance
Amelia Bay brewed tea is consistent each time, due to the company’s ability to optimize each and every component of the tea itself.
Adding Flavor
When adding flavors, Amelia Bay knows exactly what is needed to complement actual tea notes, customizing the tea and flavor profile, enabling a label to reflect just two ingredients: brewed tea and the natural flavor.
When creating a hybrid tea drink, like a tea-juice hybrid, Amelia Bay offers the same flavor expertise to deliver a perfectly balanced blend that can hit on current trends.
Tea is well positioned as a healthy beverage option, with research finding positive links between it and cardiovascular health, neurological health, cancer risk reduction, and weight management. These attributes resonate with Millennials; nine in 10 believe the health claims associated with tea can help them meet healthy lifestyle goals.”9
1 Green, Herbal Teas Experience Growth (Beverage Industry), December 2015 http://www.bevindustry.com/articles/88959-green-herbal-teas-experience-growth
5, 7, 9 Tea & RTD Tea-US-July 2015 (Mintel) http://www.mintel.com
2, 6, 8 Tea, RTD Tea Expand Beyond Health and Wellness (Beverage Industry), June 2015 http://www.bevindustry.com/articles/88481-tea-rtd-tea-expand-beyond-health-and-wellness
3, 4Finding Growth in the Beverage Industry (Iri Worldwide), January 2016 https://www.iriworldwide.com/en-US/insights/blog/January-2016/Finding-Growth-in-the-Beverage-Industry
Considering stepping into the market for RTD tea, or making changes to your current product line?
Now is the time!