Tea and RTD Tea in the U.S.

Tea is one of the most underdeveloped beverages in the United States. The potential is enormous, as tea barely compares in market size to beverage categories such as carbonated soft drinks, coffee and water. Moreover, numerous variables are in place to help drive the growth of tea sales.

Tea fits into the well-established movement among aging baby boomers to seek out foods and beverages that promise wellness and anti-aging effects. These aging boomers are not the major market for RTD iced tea beverages like Snapple, which targets college students and recent grads, nor are they the prime buyers of established tea bag and instant tea brands such as Lipton, which skew toward seniors. Boomers are the drivers of specialty teas, in every way, shape and form.

Furthermore, what makes tea uniquely positioned in the functional beverage category is that tea is inherently healthful. It' s not some sweetened, water-based drink loaded with fortifying ingredients. Tea is a nutritional powerhouse all on its own.

Packaged Facts' new report, The U.S. Market for Tea and RTD Tea, 3rd Edition, explores tea' s new prominence and the impact on the market and the consumer psyche.

This report examines the U.S. tea market- retail and foodservice. On the retail side, products include instant tea (multi-serving containers and single-serve/on-the-go packets), leaf tea (loose, bagged and stick forms), liquid concentrate (requires dilution prior to consumption) and ready-to-drink (RTD) (single-serve and multi-serve containers- shelf-stable and refrigerated).

Retail sales come from numerous channels. Mainstream venues are supermarkets, drug stores and mass merchandisers. Other retail venues include club stores, convenience stores (c-stores), dollar stores, drugstores, health/natural foods stores, specialty coffee/tea stores/cafes and “other,” which includes non-traditional food stores such as movie rental establishments, sporting goods shops, toy stores, bookstores, mail order and the Internet, as well as specialty stores that carry a limited assortment of a unique mix of foods and beverages (e.g., Trader Joe' s, Cost Plus, Fox & Obel, etc.).

The information in The U.S. Market for Tea and RTD Tea is based on both primary and secondary research. Primary research involved on-site examination of the retail milieu, interviews with marketing, public relations and industry analysts within the beverage market and consultants to the industry. Market size data was derived from Information Resources, Inc. Secondary research entailed data-gathering from relevant trade, business, and government sources, including company literature. New product information is gathered via literature research, personal interviews and data compiled by ProductScan, a service of Datamonitor. Consumer information was derived from Simmons Market Research Bureau, fall 2006 National Consumer Survey.

The U.S. Market for Tea and RTD Tea makes important predictions and recommendations regarding the future of this market, and pinpoints ways current and prospective marketers can capitalize on current trends and spearhead new ones. No other market research report provides both the comprehensive analysis and extensive data that The U.S. Market for Tea and RTD Tea offers.

• The Market (including market size and composition, and projected market growth)
• The Marketers (including discussions of specific marketer brand and market shares)
• Competitive Profiles (of the mainstream marketers, specialists and up-and-coming niche players, and analyses of the products they market)
• Retail and Foodservice Strategies
• The Consumer (who' s buying what, and where)
• The Products
• Trends and Opportunities

Plus, you' ll benefit from extensive data, presented in easy-to-read and practical charts, tables and graphs.

If your company is already competing in the food/beverage industry, or is considering making the leap, you will find this report invaluable, as it provides a comprehensive package of information and insight not offered in any other single source. You will gain a thorough understanding of the current market for tea and ready-to-drink tea, as well as projected sales and trends through 2012. Contributing to that understanding will be a complete analysis of sales data, and a detailed discussion of the consumer for tea based on Simmons data.

• Marketing Managers identify market opportunities and develop targeted promotion plans for tea and RTD tea.
• Research and development professionals stay on top of competitor initiatives and explore demand for tea products.
• Advertising agencies working with clients in the food/beverage industry understand the product buyer to develop messages and images that compel consumers to purchase these products.
• Business development executives understand the dynamics of the market and identify possible partnerships.
• Information and research center librarians provide market researchers, brand and product managers and other colleagues with the vital information they need to do their jobs more effectively.