NPD in cold brew tea and kombucha is hotting up as brands and retailers battle to stay relevant for a new generation of tea drinkers. Tea is in trouble. Supermarket volumes have been in decline every year for a decade, according to our annual Top Products report. Not even lockdown and the forced closure of Britain’s cafés and restaurants were enough to drive grocery’s tea volumes.
Coffee has been the real winner of lockdown. But it’s important to note that coffee was in a similar predicament to tea 20 years ago. It fuelled the Women’s Institute and scented the breath of Britain’s teachers. Coffee was not cool. Today, it’s used to flavour everything from cola to martinis; lattes and frappuccinos have become everyday treats. So, what lessons can tea take from the coffee industry? And what will it take to make tea cool again?..
