What’s Brewing? – Tea Industry Market Growth, TIME Magazine Honors a Matcha Innovation, Tea and I

“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:

Technavio Says Tea Market Is Set to Grow by US$13.24 Billion by 2024

According to Technavio, a leading research firm, the tea market is poised to grow by US$13.24 billion during 2020-2024, progressing at a CAGR of almost five percent during the forecast period. The APAC region will specifically contribute 61 percent of the market share.

The company’s new report offers an up-to-date analysis regarding the current market scenario, latest trends and drivers, and the overall market environment.

Technavio noted that the COVID-19 pandemic will have a high impact on the tea market; however, the market growth in 2020 is likely to still increase compared to the market growth in 2019. The firm said that functional benefits of tea is a major trend driving the industry, as well as many new product launches.

Currently, per the report, the top players are Arteasans Beverages LLC, Associated British Foods Plc, ITO EN Ltd., Nestlé SA, Numi Inc., Starbucks Corp., Tata Global Beverages, The Hain Celestial Group Inc., The Republic of Tea, and Unilever Group.

To learn more about Technavio, visit Technavio.com.

Cuzen Matcha Named to TIME’s List of the 100 Best Inventions of 2020

Cuzen Matcha has been named one of TIME’s 100 Best Inventions of 2020 in the design category.

According to TIME, the annual list celebrates the 100 Best Inventions “that are making the world better, smarter, and even a bit more fun.” See the full list of TIME 100 Best Inventions 2020 at Time.com/best-inventions-2020.

Photo: Courtesy of Cuzen Matcha

“We are truly humbled to receive this award from TIME, one of the most iconic and respected media brands in the world,” said Eijiro Tsukada, co-founder and CEO of Cuzen Matcha. “It’s almost incomprehensible that we only launched our matcha making system last month and have already achieved such an honor. We express our sincerest gratitude to the editors and staff of TIME for this acknowledgement of a lifetime.”

For 2020’s list, TIME solicited nominations both from its editors and correspondents around the world and through an online application process. It then evaluated them on factors including originality, effectiveness, ambition and impact. The results: everything from a smarter beehive to a greener tube of toothpaste to the technology that could catalyze a COVID-19 vaccine.

“With the anxiety of COVID-19, many of us need to stay home for longer periods of time, resulting in less exercise and more stress,” said Tsukada. "Thus, staying healthy both physically and mentally is critical and I believe matcha can be a great help. In Japan, it's been said that tea gifts are auspicious, making Cuzen Matcha an ideal gift for your friends and family this year's holiday season."

Engineered to reproduce the qualities of a traditional stone mill and bamboo whisk – with much less effort – Cuzen Matcha is an at-home matcha system that produces freshly ground matcha from organic shade-grown leaves via a beautifully designed machine.

To learn more, visit CuzenMatcha.com.

Tea and I Releases New Line of Herbal Tea & Tea Accessories

Tea and I announced the launch of its line of herbal tea and tea accessories. The new tea company – featured in the Sips by tea subscription box – has expanded its line to five organic, non-GMO and vegan-friendly blends of tea to offer wellness options and support a healthy lifestyle.

Four of the five exclusive teas are proprietary blends, with the fifth being a matcha green tea. In addition to the new blends, Tea and I announced its line of luxury tea accessories, which includes infusers and handmade olive wood tea spoons. Tea and I teas are made with high quality, on-trend herbs, sustainably sourced, contain no preservatives, chemicals or coloring, and are gluten free and vegan friendly.

Photo: Courtesy of Tea and I

The company’s line of teas include:

Spice Revival – which promotes digestion support, craving reduction and toxin elimination.

Valerian ZZZs – a caffeine-free herbal tea that helps to relieve the stresses of the day, ease anxiety, and promote a restful night’s sleep.

Black Forest Bloom – an organic Assam black tea that delivers a natural caffeine boost, while increasing alertness and focus.

Elderberry Armor – which is said to work hand-in-hand with the body’s natural defenses to relieve common cold/flu symptoms, fight viral infections and aid in post-sickness recovery.

Organic Matcha Green Tea Powder – a premium grade non-GMO matcha green tea powder that’s rich in antioxidants and boosts energy levels, strengthens the immune system, and reduces toxins in system.

The Blissful Brew Tea Gift Box – a luxury tea box that includes a 2 oz sampler of four Tea and I teas, tea filters, raw unfiltered honey, a honey dipper stick, an herbal bath tea, a 3 oz scented candle, a customized gift card and brewing guide.

To learn more, visit: TeaandI.com.

Teatulia UK Collaborates with BRIK Chocolate Company

Teatulia, an award-winning organic tea company, has joined forces with Brik to create a new line of organic, tea-infused chocolate terrazzo tiles and tasting experiences.

For the tasting experiences, they’re offering tea and chocolate boxes, which include three bars of Brik chocolate, three pouches of Teatulia loose leaf tea and an infuser. The boxes can be purchased alone or with a virtual tea and chocolate pairing workshop.

Photo: Courtesy of Brik

Teatulia UK founder and chief executive, Ahsan Akbar, said “Teatulia and Brik is an obvious match – both brands offer bold flavors, innovative design and zero compromise on quality and sustainability.”

Brik Founders, designer Kia Utzon-Frank and strategist Raffaella Barruzzo said they’re “very excited to partner with Teatulia and use their tea and spices in our new range of chocolate tiles.”

Infused with carefully selected herbs and spices, Brik handcrafts each chocolate tile with the finest chocolate for a layered taste experience that allows each flavor to emerge one after another. The chocolate is colored using only natural ingredients, including spirulina and activated charcoal, both well known for their detoxifying properties. Both Teatulia and Brik share a goal to reduce waste and use eco-friendly materials and packaging. Teatulia will also stock Brik Drinking Chocolate, a zero-waste initiative which sees chocolate offcuts repurposed for the drink.

To learn more, visit Teatulia.co.uk and Brik.site.

- Aaron Kiel, World Tea News