What’s Trending in Tea in 2021?
Several centuries ago, tea was a rare delicacy. Now, it is more than just a beverage. It’s consumed for various purposes, including enjoyment. It’s no secret that the drink of choice for most Indians is chai. Nowadays, it’s commonplace for people to grab a cup of tea on the way to work, or even on the way to class. From its diverse taste to its refreshing effects, it is no wonder why people are so fond of the beverage.
Chai has been trending hard the past years, but what about in 2021?
The year 2020 has been different. It changed a lot of things for a lot of people; from working conditions to eating habits, and a lot more! People have become more aware of what they consume and how it affects their health and wellbeing.
That’s why ingredients with additional benefits, such as energy, relaxation or support for digestive health has been on the rise the past few years and the demand for high-quality ingredients is on a constant high.
In the herbal tea section, consumers are looking for supporting ingredients. Surveys show that taste is the most important factor when developing functional foods and beverages. In addition to the classic ingredients for herbal tea such as chamomile, lavender & ginger, more and more traditionally used and in western countries, fewer familiar plants are appearing in the market.
Turmeric is becoming increasingly important for drinks, especially tea. It is used as a spice in Indian cuisine. Like turmeric, holy basil also derives from India and is the most widely used medicinal herb in herbal teas. It is considered an adaptogen, which is a natural plant substance and is supposed to help the body to adapt to stressful situations.
Other ingredients which are on the rise around hot drinks are superfoods. Although they are rather well-known in other food & beverage categories, superfoods such as goji or acai berries were mainly offered as food supplements in powder form. Meanwhile, they have become indispensable for herbal teas. They are considered beneficial as they are said to have a high nutrient density.
Moving ahead from herbal tea, let’s discuss other trends around tea.
Eco-friendly sustainable packaging
There is a need to move towards a more sustainable future. Many tea companies have begun rolling out eco-friendly sustainable packaging – biodegradable teabags, muslin tea bags, improved packaging in paper tins and removing plastics from outer packaging.
Wellness teas and organic chais
In India, the market for organic tea varieties has risen. Customers are now more educated than ever before and don’t mind spending more on organic varietals of tea.
Cascara blends
The Cascara blend is the traditional Yemen Cascara tea mix. With cinnamon, ginger, and the unique flavour of Yemen Cascara, this is a calming and tasty drink. This tea is very low in caffeine (80-100 mg/l), which is almost 1/5th of the amount in coffee and lower than many other teas. This tea is ideal for those who are either sensitive to caffeine or do not like the taste. This tea is becoming very popular.
Cold brews
Cold-brew tea is made by infusion only, so the caffeine is almost half of what it would be if it were boiled in a regular manner. It is easier on the stomach and has a cleaner, less bitter flavour. It is also gaining popularity in 2021.
Cooking with tea and tea cocktails
Although cooking with tea and incorporating tea into cocktails has been very popular in the West, it’s a slowly developing trend in India in 2021. This is in part because of how versatile tea is, complementing our five senses and working well with so many different cuisines.
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