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Nothing brings on warm and cozy feelings quite like a piping hot cup of tea. Maybe that’s why grocery sales of premium tea bags grew an unprecedented 18 +% in 2020 (Tea & Coffee Trade Journal). But don’t think their mugs are filled only with basic black. It’s anything but. They’re playing with premium blends and ingredients that support health and wellness.

Don’t be “chai.” Pour a cup and read on for the “it” tea trends that are TEA-riffic for your hot beverage selection.

There’s no denying that Covid has changed how and what food consumers purchase. According to Food manufacturing, 72% of consumers are shopping less often during COVID-19, opting for stocking up. There’s also a move towards online food shopping, with 78.7% of US shoppers purchasing their groceries online, according to Supermarket News. Regardless of how they’re purchasing, online or in stores, and how frequent, we’re seeing two types of consumers emerging — those craving comfort and those drawn towards food’s health benefits.

Knowing and understanding these shifts in cravings can help you to better determine what products to stock and promote. Let’s dive into the types of cravings and what foods consumers desire right now.

The face of retail is changing due to consumer demand during Covid

Health and beauty products are enjoying a boom as folks are opting to stay home and self care. As video calls are on the rise, and consumers curb salon and spa visits, Vogue Business reports, folks are opting to create the spa experience at home.

Contrary to the trends we’ve seen on social media as of late, consumers aren’t clamoring for products that promise to transform them into renown professional stylists, spa technicians, or celebrity spokespeople. As with food, there is a renewed interest in “wellness and clean beauty,” according to Women’s Wear Daily. As a result, we are witnessing an increased demand for health and beauty products made with natural and plant-based ingredients.

While many consumers are purchasing health and beauty products online, there is plenty of potential for food retailers, gift basket crafters, and mom and pop shops to clean up by bringing in

As temps drop, we tend seek soothing warmth: adding extra layers of clothing, pulling out the fleece throws, and sipping hot beverages. Americans consumed 84 billion servings of tea in 2018. That’s equal to 3.8 billion gallons – that’s a BIG cup! Dare we destroy your idyllic downtime of cozying up to a ‘cuppa’? Would you be shocked to know that the hot, soothing beverage you’re enjoying might not actually be tea?

Have clever marketers been deceiving us all along? How could it be our beloved lemon ginger lifter or nighty night brew are not actually tea at all? Before you get upset and wonder what other fibs you’ve been duped into believing, lets look into what tea is and what it is not.

Tea Defined

Though tea has come to be synonymous with ‘any hot beverage made from dried plants’ that definition is not entirely accurate. Tea is not a beverage. Wait . . . what?! The word ‘tea’ actually refers to a specific plant, Camellia Sinensis. This evergreen