What’s Brewing? – World Tea Best of Tea Awards, Nayuki in Japan, Capresso Iced Tea Maker, The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf

“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:

World Tea Best of Tea Awards – Finalists to Be Announced Sept. 8, 2020

Questex will announce the World Tea Best of Awards finalists on Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2020, at 2:30 p.m. ET during STI’s Tea Talks via Zoom. World Tea will be featured during the Tea Talks, where FaithAnn Bailes, content manager for the World Tea Conference + Expo and the World Tea Virtual Summit, will give a brief overview of World Tea and present the esteemed finalists.

There will be 10 categories and the finalists will be listed in no particular order. One winner will be declared in each category, and winners will be announced during the upcoming World Tea Virtual Summit, taking place Oct. 12-14, 2020. Registration for the digital event, along with the full conference program, will be available in early September at WorldTeaExpo.com/VirtualSummit.

Details on how to attend the STI Tea Talks to hear the reveal of the finalists:

  • Tuesday Sept. 8, 2020, at 2:30 p.m. ET
  • Setup: Zoom
  • Join the meeting with the following meeting ID: 535 388 3718; Password STI
  • Join using “Internet Audio”
  • Click on the video portion on the upper right-hand side of the screen
  • Please use: “Audio Off” or “Mute” to cancel background noise
  • In the chat portion of the screen, type in your name/location/company
  • Questions? Email [email protected]

Nayuki Opens First Store in Japan

The first Nayuki store in Japan opened on July 4th, bringing local customers its tasty lineup of colorful, fruit-based cheese teas, as well as its iconic modern teahouse experience widely enjoyed in China.

Sitting inside Dotonbori ZERO GATE, a vibrant and bustling shopping complex in central Osaka, the new outlet invites customers to relax and enjoy some of its award-winning tea drinks and soft-euro bakes within a welcoming and beautifully designed store environment.

"As a brand dedicated to becoming the innovator and promoter of the tea culture, we wish to deliver an exceptional experience for the local residents, one that reflects our passion for creating unique tea-based drinks for tea lovers worldwide," said Peng Xin, founder of Nayuki.

The new store covers 200 square meters and creates an inviting space for tea lovers to unwind and sip on its popular drinks which combine traditional and modern elements. The design of the store features special details to match Japan's modern culture while retaining its classic interior space brightly adorned by the stylish ceiling lightings designed by world-class designers, as well as other creative elements that give a fresh life to the lounge areas.

Nayuki will bring customers in Japan a wide range of tea drinks from its classic delicacy, "Supreme Cheese Fruit Tea," to summer favorites such as its cold-brew tea series. Expertly handcrafted by tea baristas trained by the professional Nayuki team, each tea features a rich and unique flavor that is blended with a natural hint of fruity sweetness and lingering floral aroma.

The high-quality and efficient supply chain is Nayuki's secret in delivering premium tea drinks. The company has formed multiple partnerships to establish orchards and tea fields where raw materials are cultivated under strict standards from cultivation to processing. To offer the best taste to customers, Nayuki's team visit prominent tea-growing regions around the world to select premium tea leaves and fruits.

"At Nayuki, we are not only producing a product but an all-around experience with which our customers can immerse into the tea culture with new-style tea drinks made possible by the modern techniques and traditional concepts of tea," Peng Xin explained.

Learn more about Nayuki at: Facebook.com/nayukisg.

Sip & Save with the Capresso Iced Tea Maker

Americans drink over three billion gallons of iced tea a year, says Capresso. But who gets the best iced tea, and the best value? Capresso's online Iced Tea Sip & Save feature shows how much people can save by brewing iced tea at home versus buying it ready-made or at a café. And when you custom brew at home in the Capresso Iced Tea Maker, you can brew it to taste and use your favorite ingredients – or get creative with easy recipes that incorporate fruits, spices and other natural flavors.

Capresso quantifies how much the average iced tea drinker – who drinks an average of two servings a day – will save in a year by brewing at home with the Iced Tea Maker.  It adds up to well over US$1,000 per year versus buying iced tea ready-made, and savings of over US$1,500 per year versus buying iced tea at a café. It's a win-win of savings, convenience and gourmet taste.

The Capresso Iced Tea Maker can custom brew a refreshing pitcher of iced tea at the touch of a button. It brews directly into a beautiful 80-oz. glass pitcher with removable lid and easy-pour spout.  The flavor enhancer adjusts brew strength from mild to strong taste.  A removable permanent filter accommodates either loose tea or tea bags.

Fresh or frozen fruit can be added to the pitcher for delicious gourmet tea concoctions. The Capresso blog and social media also offer easy-to-make recipes to inspire creativity and new taste experiences all throughout the year – such as Boba Tea, Green Plum Iced Tea, Iced Tea Spritzer, Watermelon Lime Iced Tea, Lavender Iced Tea and Blueberry Mango Iced Tea.

For more information, visit Capresso.com.

Asia-Pacific Organic Tea Market Assessment 2020-2025

The Asia-Pacific Organic Tea Market - Growth, Trends and Forecasts (2020-2025) report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The Asia-Pacific Organic Tea Market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 5.6 percent during the forecast period.

Associated health benefits of organic teas – with features such as no chemical interaction while production, no artificial flavors or harmful additives – are a few factors driving the demand for organic teas in the region.

Growing prevalence of premiumization in the industry has been further boosting the value sale of the market studied. Manufacturers are opting this strategy to primarily cater the targeted consumers, looking for exceptional taste profiles and luxury experience of a regular beverage. As a result, companies are coming up with exotic flavor blends featuring lavender, hibiscus, ginger, sage rooibos, etc. to gain greater consumer attention.

Key market trends, as reported in the study, include:

Green Tea to Foster Market Growth – Asia-Pacific has been witnessing a significant surge in demand for green tea, owing to its perceived health benefits. Further, driven by the consumer demand to have authentic and a purer version of tea with minimal chemical exposure during production, is boosting the demand for organic green tea in the region.

Moreover, countries like China, Japan and India having strong foothold in the production of green tea, in the global market, remained the most lucrative market for organic green tea. There are many tea brands mushrooming with organic tea offering. For instance, Typhoo, the British packaged tea brand now owned the by Indian company Apeejay Surrendra Group, is seeking its fortune in a set of non-tea infusions, including organic herbal tea mixes.

Online Retailers Emerged as the Fastest Growing Channel – Online retailing of organic tea products is the current profound channel for tea manufacturers, when it comes to distribution and marketing. The companies are inclining toward online stores to get better access to consumers having lack of physical outlets in remote areas.

Moreover, many new startups and entrepreneurs are rather choosing this point of sale to launch their products, due to the less capital investment required and high consumer base covered. Nonetheless, with the premiumization penetrating in the industry, companies such as Bagan are majorly opting online retailing as desired channel to market their products.

Competitive Landscape – Asia-Pacific Organic Tea market is consolidated with the presence of key players such as Unilever and Tata Group. Over the past few years, expanding one's market presence in emerging economies has been a key strategy behind the major companies' growth. With growing income levels and an increasing level of knowledge regarding the consumption of healthy food in developed economies, companies are focusing on offering products with healthier claims such as organic, clean label, etc.

For more information about this report, click here. Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research. Visit ResearchAndMarkets.com.

Fall Drinks at The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf

The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf – one of the world's leading roasters and retailers of specialty coffee and tea – launched its fall seasonal menu with new and returning beverages that celebrate the sweet and spicy flavors of fall, along with new baked goods and ready to eat sandwiches. Additionally, the company will feature the early return of a holiday favorite, Winter Dream Tea Latte. Celebrating the classic flavors of the season, the menu additions include the all-new Dark Chocolate Chai Tea Latte.

"Nothing awakens the spirit of fall like the flavor of pumpkin and the bold taste and aroma of Chai, especially mixed with rich chocolate," said Nurit Raich, senior director of product innovation, The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf brand. "We are excited to offer our guests beverages and treats filled with these nostalgic flavors, as well as an array of new food and vegan baked items."

The fall menu offerings are available to guests now through Nov. 1, 2020. To learn more, visit CoffeeBean.com.

- Aaron Kiel / World Tea News