What’s Brewing? – Chado Tea, International Tea Importers, The Spice & Tea Exchange, Global Kombucha Market

“What’s Brewing?” is a World Tea News round-up of recent happenings, news and factoids from the global tea industry.

Here’s what’s notable:

Planet TV Studios to Feature Chado Tea, International Tea Importers

Planet TV Studios will present an episode of the TV series New Frontiers about Chado Tea and International Tea Importers. The pilot episode, focused on tea, plans to air in the first quarter of 2021 and will also be airing on on-demand platforms such as Roku, iTunes, Amazon, Google Play and other various on-demand platforms.

Chado Tea is a family-owned tea purveyor with four tea rooms throughout Los Angeles, as well as an online tea store. Their mission is to promote global tea culture and educate customers about the history and benefits of the most widely consumed beverage in the world after water. Their tea rooms offer full afternoon tea services and feature an eclectic mix of the highest quality teas sourced from across the globe. Chado promotes tea education through their interactive events and activations, ranging from traditional Japanese tea ceremonies to the Los Angeles Tea Festival, an annual event that has brought thousands together since 2011. Chado also aims to educate customers about the many perceived health benefits of tea, from protecting against heart disease and stroke to slowing the progression of age-related neurological diseases.

Planet TV Studios produces cutting-edge, real-life, television series that features insightful, meaningful updates on the most important business, medical and socially responsible topics currently taking place in the areas most important to our lives. Planet TV Studios is a leading content creation company successful in films, television, documentaries, commercials and docudramas.

For more information about Chado Tea and International Tea Importers, visit TeaVendor.com. For more information about the series, visit PlanetTVStudios.com.

The Spice & Tea Exchange Looks to Add New Franchise Locations

The Spice & Tea Exchange is looking to expand its presence in New York. As Americans are rediscovering their passion for cooking at home, the gourmet spice and tea retail franchise looks to bring at least four new locations to the Empire State through franchising.

With a mission of “Creating and sharing the experience of a more flavorful life,” The Spice & Tea Exchange traditionally attracts community-minded franchise partners with a passion for food, tea and customer service. The brand succeeds in markets with a vibrant population of local foodies and year-round tourists, making New York an attractive region for growth. Their current Port Jefferson, Long Island location is undergoing plans for reopening and is a prime example of this model within a bustling area that exceeds $6 billion in visitor spending annually. Specific markets where The Spice & Tea Exchange is currently looking to expand include Brooklyn, Hudson Valley, Saratoga Springs and Woodstock.

"Our franchise partners come from all walks of life, ranging from well-traveled military veterans, to home chefs who love experimenting with new flavors," said Mary Catherine McDonald, vice president of development. "The one thing that all of our successful owners have in common is a passion for creating and sharing with those around them. That's exactly who we're looking for in New York franchise partners."

Entrepreneurs find The Spice & Tea Exchange an attractive franchise opportunity because of its strong franchisor support and a rising consumer interest in home cooking. The franchise offers a detailed onboarding package, real estate and buildout assistance, extensive ongoing training, and instore and online marketing programs.

While franchisees had to shift to curbside pickup, limited hours or temporary closures in 2020, The Spice & Tea Exchange found unique ways to drive additional revenue to stores through their online site. Developing an online pickup and delivery form allowed stores to fulfill from behind closed doors, and an increased percent of sales from online retail was given back to franchise locations. That decision positively impacted franchisees as the company saw improvements in online sales. Not wanting to go to a crowded grocery store, consumers see The Spice & Tea Exchange as a safer alternative to pick up their everyday ingredients, both in person and online, according to the company.

The upward sales trend continued as The Spice & Tea Exchange stores began reopening as well; consumer comfort has bounced back and the franchise's brick and mortar locations have seen positive sales growth in August and September.

"We've proven to be an extremely sustainable business model, even in times of sheltering in place and shutdowns," said McDonald. "We haven't stopped expanding and supporting our current franchisees, and have even opened four new stores recently. We anticipate doing the same across New York with dedicated franchise partners soon."

The Spice & Tea Exchange was founded in 2008 with a vision to create a one-of-a-kind retail shopping experience. The company has more than 70 franchise stores across the United States, providing guests with more than 140 spices, 85 exclusive hand-mixed blends, over 40 exotic teas, naturally-flavored sugars, salts from around the world, gourmet gifts and accessories.

For more information, visit SpiceandTea.com/franchise.

Global Kombucha Market Is Expected to Grow

Reportlinker.com announced the release of its new report, Global Kombucha Market Forecast 2019-2028. According to the research, the global kombucha market is expected to grow with a CAGR of 21.82 percent during the forecast years of 2019 to 2028. The market growth is attributed to the easy manufacturing process, the health benefits of kombucha, and the increasing demand for fortified food and beverage products.

Kombucha is characterized by a healthy beverage made by combining sugar, tea and the symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast, or SCOBY (symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast).It helps control liver cell toxicity, and is believed to aid weight loss, digestion and detoxification. The fermented drink originated around 220 BC and serves as a functional beverage owing to its health advantages.

According to some experts, kombucha helps battle arthritis, cancer and various other degenerative diseases. It is also capable of increasing metabolism, detoxing the body, rebuilding connective tissues, boosting energy levels and reducing headaches. Besides, the fermented beverage comprises bacterial acids and enzymes produced by the body to detoxify its system, thereby minimizing the pancreatic load and alleviating the liver’s burden. Kombucha is also rich in folic acid and B-vitamins; the primary elements that help produce and maintain new body cells.

The global kombucha market growth analysis includes the assessment of the Asia Pacific, North America, Europe and the rest of the world. The Asia Pacific region observes an increasing demand for natural and organic kombucha, incorporated with high product innovation, and surging brand penetration. As a result, the region is expected to be the fastest-growing market for kombucha, globally.

The large number of functional beverage manufacturers across a small market increases the competition. Additionally, the active participation of foodservice businesses, primarily by launching innovative flavors, influences consumer demands, and creates a highly competitive environment for global players. This also results in firms merchandising products at a fairly equal price. Moreover, online sales are increasing steadily, owing to high Internet penetration. Therefore, the degree of industrial rivalry within the global kombucha market is high.

Key players operating in the market include, Go! Kombucha, New Age Beverages Corporation (Bucha Kombucha), GT’s Living Foods, Pepsico Inc (Kevita Kombucha) and Health-Ade Kombucha, among others, says Reportlinker.com.

To learn more, visit Reportlinker.com.

- Aaron Kiel, World Tea News