RTD Teas Gaining Popularity One Sip at a Time

Every time of day is tea time in America, and honey has been a traditional all-natural sweetener in teas for hundreds of years. The ready-to-drink (RTD) tea market is booming, thanks to the functionality, nutritional benefits, and varying flavor profiles that come with varieties of teas combined with varietals of honey.

Beverage Industry reports that half the U.S. population drinks tea, amounting to 158 million people. Refrigerated RTD teas capped $1.6 billion in sales in May, a 9.1% increase from the year before. Mintel’s Tea and RTD Tea US Report findings of 2018 still ring true today: The RTD category “offers a variety of product formats and flavors and is suitable for numerous drinking occasions and serving options. This diversity appeals to a wide swath of consumers. Beyond broad appeal, tea also enjoys a strong frequency of consumption.”

RTD teas garnering popularity on grocery store shelves include kombucha, sparkling tea, refrigerated offerings, and those with “ongoing recognition of its healthy properties,” Beverage Industry noted. Consumers are shifting needs to products that provide a health halo, and all-natural honey is a familiar ingredient that carries positive consumer perceptions.

The future is bright for RTD teas, and through 2024, IBISWorld predicts beverage manufacturers that adapt to consumer health trends and expand into premium versions of existing lineups will thrive. Let’s take a look at some made with honey RTD teas on the market that are both delicious and functional.