Tea Blog

When I was growing up, tea was something of a mystery.

My family drank powdered iced tea of questionable quality, and beyond that, my understanding was fairly limited: tea was black, came in cheap teabags, and was often served with milk, sugar, or lemon.

For a long time—at least outside of Asia—tea and black tea were essentially synonymous.

Although Japanese green tea and other varieties were imported into the United States during the nineteenth century, black tea eventually came to dominate.

In recent years, however, that dominance appears to be shifting.

Even casual observers of the tea world have likely noticed a growing interest in green tea and other lesser-known varieties.

Changing Tea Trends

There is growing evidence to support this shift.

In the United Kingdom, for example—long considered a stronghold of black tea—a recent

news report on declining black tea sales and rising green tea demand in the UK

noted that sales of traditional black tea bags dropped by nearly five percent in a single year, while green tea demand increased by almost ten percent.

In addition to green tea, there has been increased interest in fruit teas and herbal infusions such as peppermint and chamomile.

Despite these trends, black tea still accounts for a significant portion of the market—roughly twice the combined sales of other types.

Some brands have even bucked the trend. For example,

Yorkshire Gold black tea from Taylors of Harrogate

has reportedly experienced strong growth over recent years.

Tea Trends in the United States

A similar shift may be underway in the United States.

A
://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2014/09/03/america-is-slowly-but-surely-becoming-a-nation-of-tea-drinkers/” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”>
Washington Post analysis of tea consumption trends in the United States

suggests that tea drinking is gradually increasing nationwide.

According to data from the U.S. Tea Association, the American tea market has grown significantly—from roughly $2 billion in 1990 to over $10 billion in recent years.

Black tea still represents about half of total consumption, followed by fruit and herbal infusions.

However, both categories have seen limited growth in recent years.

In contrast,

green tea (loose leaf and bagged varieties)

has grown by approximately 40 percent since 2000.

Meanwhile, specialty teas such as white tea and oolong have seen dramatic growth—though they still occupy a relatively small share of the overall market.

See more of William I. Lengeman’s articles

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