12.01.09
Due to its compelling image as an innovative yet accessible beverage that is good tasting, good for you and budget friendly, tea has remained profitable, with 2% annual gains in 2008 and 2009, according to a new report from Packaged Facts titled “Tea and Ready-to-Drink (RTD) Tea in the U.S.: Retail, Foodservice and Consumer Trends.” Over the next several years, tea’s health halo will gradually return the market to the double-digit gains it experienced prior to the recession, particularly as additional research solidifies tea’s healthful and functional properties, the report suggests. Packaged Facts estimates the U.S. market for tea sold through retail and foodservice channels at $9 billion in 2009, forecasting a 5% increase in 2010. Steadily rising annual percentage gains are projected through 2014, when growth will reach 10% and sales will exceed $12 billion. Many new product introductions in the tea category include exotic flavored teas, tea and fruit infusions and premium loose tea bags that are at the forefront of innovations in both the retail and foodservice arenas. For further information: www.packagedfacts.com