NEW YORK – Ready-to-drink teas continue to appeal to consumers because of tea’s overall healthful qualities, Beverage World reports. The high concentration of antioxidants and other healthful ingredients has driven tea’s rising popularity, including the ready-to-drink and tea extract categories.
Tea has many phytonutrients, organic compounds found in fruits, vegetables and plants that are being used to enhance beverages, such as beauty drinks, energy drinks and relaxation drinks. “Many beverage companies are looking to make antioxidant or polyphenol claims on their beverages, said Jason Crandall, vice president of operations for Amelia Bay.
Green tea extract has been added to weight-loss, beauty and energy beverages, while other tea extracts have been put into products such as Tate & Lyle’s Teawell 95, DSM’s Teavigo and Taiyo’s Sunphenon. Ready-to-drink tea also have entered the energy beverage market with Honest Tea’s Jasmine Green Energy and Inko’s White Tea Energy.
“We’re had some requests for blends with different botanicals such as chamomile for the relaxation drinks and at the end of the spectrum there’s also requests for tea extracts for use in energy drinks,” said Hilary Knecht, director of applications for Sensus Flavor. The company has fielded more requests for tea extract blends.