Another year, another list of trends to watch for the year ahead and tea is highlighted once again.
In 2014 the Food Channel thought we’d see more “low tea” because of Downton Abbey. NPR looked for tea as an ingredient and CBS News thought Starbucks would be putting cups of tea in more hands.
Last year tea gained attention as tops for those looking for a healthier year. Kombucha and “celebrity-backed” teas were the focus.
So what are we seeing for 2016?
India’s NDTV is definitely looking at tea as a top priority there, but in a different way. They believe that blending is going to be the hot word of the year. This translates to more creative mergers of tea with other herbs, spices and fruits for beverages; more tea-infused jams and desserts; and even more attention on cocktails.
Restaurant developer Baum+Whiteman thinks tea, especially matcha, will continue to grow because bitter flavors are going to be important this year. We’ll see more cold brew and carbonated versions of tea (and coffee) this year.
Comax Flavors has watched the growth of tea over the past six years and predicts that interest will continue growing. Last year they looked for new things on the iced tea side. This year, they offered a collection of unusual flavors like turmeric, orange and ginger; matcha with rose; and herbals like dandelion tea and cascara tea to meet these interest.
CNBC says to get ready because even as matcha was big news last year, it’s going to be even bigger in the year ahead.
Source: NDTV, Baum+Whiteman, Comax, CNBC