Iced tea is today’s go-to beverage.
As more customers turn to iced tea over soda, operators are realizing the importance of providing a flavorful tea experience. Four in five consumers drink tea and on any given day more than one-half of the American population enjoys tea beverages.1 With the current popularity, consumer spending on iced tea has increased 5.2% over the last two years. However, unlike most soda drinkers, iced tea drinkers can be quite discriminating when it comes to their beverage of choice. They know what they like and won’t settle for less. That’s why it is so critical that an operator’s iced tea program wows consumers with quality and flavor. It can often influence whether customers continue to return to their operation. Because iced tea is the highest margin item in a restaurant outside of alcohol, the return sale is critical. A top-line iced tea program can help drive future profits for operators who build their base of repeat customers.
1. Source: Worldteanews.com.
Iced tea is a year-round favorite.
Eighty-five percent of tea consumed in America is chilled.2 And while many consider iced tea a warm-weather beverage, it’s actually evolving into a year-round favorite. According to Bill Bowron, Chairman, President and CEO of Red Diamond® Coffee & Tea, iced tea’s all-season popularity is because “many consumers are wooed by iced tea’s health benefits and fresh, crisp flavor, regardless of the time of year.”
Consumers are increasingly seeking iced tea options that are more than just something to drink, but that meet their increasingly selective palates. “Rather than simply having a glass, people want to know if it’s full-bodied,” says Bowron. “They want it to be personal. Something they can enjoy as an experience.” Now more than ever, serving a top-quality iced tea that provides a crisp, clean flavor can be a make-or-break proposition. “Our company focuses on the overall quality of tea, sourcing leaves from the world’s finest plantations and making sure there is little to no stem content to ensure great flavor,” says Bowron.
Offering familiar and unique flavors, from peach and mango to toasted coconut or mint green tea, also gives your tea program more sales power. “Our line of Flavored Iced Teas and Tropical Temptations® Teas are perfected with the same commitment to quality as our Premium Iced Tea,” says Bowron.
2. Source: Washingtonpost.com.
Sweet tea is heading north.
Sweet tea, once a Southern staple, is now growing in demand everywhere as iced tea in general becomes a menu must-have. As with all iced tea, there is a true craft to creating the perfect sweet tea. Because it is served already sweetened, the greatest challenge is ensuring consistency in flavor and quality from day to day and store to store.
Tea providers are continually innovating to help their customers make sweet tea in easier and more efficient ways. Take for example the Simple Sweet TeaTM brand from Red Diamond. Perfected with premeasured pure cane sugar, it consistently delivers spot-on sweet flavor while providing back-of-house ease. No measuring, no endless stirring, it’s a convenient and ready-to-serve product that provides the consistent quality and great taste with the perfect amount of sweetness today’s tea lovers expect.
To learn more about how Red Diamond can help you meet today’s demands for top-quality iced tea, visit them here.