Bags to choose from

In spite of higher commodity prices of tea, the scope of brews that operators are able to offer can help justify a premium price. Sheila Eggleston reports.

More than 165 million cups of tea are drunk daily in the UK, according to the Tea Council, proving that despite the wide assortment of drinks available, tea remains a favourite choice.

This uptake has no doubt been helped by the spurt of growth in the speciality tea sector as well as the ethically sourced products that have won over consumers.

However to maximise the profit opportunity of tea, caterers need to realise that a simple bag in a cup is no longer enough, says Twinings.

"Much like what we've experienced with coffee, consumers are now looking for something different and premium to what they get at home to help justify them parting with their money," says customer marketing manager Jacqueline Chapman. "The profitability of tea shouldn't be underestimated as it accounts for seven out of 10 hot drinks consumed. Only 46% of tea drinkers will consume normal tea out of home, so it's crucial caterers offer customers something different or risk missing out.

"In the last year the speciality tea market has grown in value by 3.9% while commodity or builder's tea continues to decline. Sales of infusions are up 7% and green tea 6.2% – an indication of just how discerning consumers have become in their tea tastes."

Twinings has responded to these trends by adding smaller packs to its speciality, infusions and green tea ranges to help operators increase profits by allowing them to offer a wider tea range and reduce stockholding at no extra cost.

Choice is essential, says Chapman, as tea purchases can vary depending on the time of day. "For instance where a strong speciality English breakfast is welcome in the morning, a light Earl Grey would be preferred for the afternoon. Camomile and pure peppermint are also welcome alternatives for customers seeking a caffeine free hot beverage."

Tea service has come on leaps and bounds in recent years, says Elaine Higginson, managing director United Coffee UK & Ireland. "More operators have recognised that tea will always be a favourite in the UK, which has led to more thought being put into how to serve it in a way that appeals.

"Recently health awareness and increasingly diverse consumer tastes have driven the market for speciality tea. Our range gives operators an opportunity to tap into this demand. Flavours that used to be exotic like peppermint and lemon and ginger have become standard items that should be on any menu, but adding more exotic varieties like our white ginger pear and vanilla orchid can attract new customers and tempt existing customers to trying something new."

On the ethical front, Tetley has just launched its first packs of Rainforest Alliance certified Redbush tea and these will be available from the end of October.

The company's decision to purchase all the tea for its branded teabag and loose tea products from Rainforest Alliance's certified farms is a significant commitment. All Tetley branded black, green and red tea, including flavoured and decaffeinated varieties are part of its certification programme with the organisation, which is due to be completed by 2016.

According to Twinings, 75% of purchasing decisions are made at point of purchase [POPAI], which is why marketing and presentation is key to driving sales.

"Customers will generally only ask for products they can see on menus and counters, which is why it is important to promote tea brands with high visibility point of sale and branded merchandising. Including tempting descriptors and offering tea and food pairings can also help differentiate your tea service," says Chapman.

Twinings offers branded crockery and merchandise solutions from menus and tent cards to a calendar that can help publicans promote Twinings tea and infusions throughout the year. Caterers can download posters promoting a tea of the month, seasonal specials or tap into themed events such as Fairtrade Fortnight.

Getting the flavour of tea right is essential, which is a matter that concerns filtered water specialist BRITA Professional. "Like any hot beverage a large component of tea is water, making it an integral part of the perfect cuppa," says sales director Anthony Spruce.

"Operators spend time and effort choosing brands, blends and flavours of tea but its primary ingredient – water – is often forgotten. Water has to be treated as an ingredient in its own right, and operators need to perfect it in order to boost sales of tea.

"We work in partnership with operators to fit filters which remove scale and impurities. This balances the mineral content and helps cafés produce premium tasting tea every time.

Hard water can restrict the development of fine flavours and so filtering enables the full aroma and essence of the tea to infuse, leading to a more enjoyable brew." Filtered water eliminates the tannin fi lm often found on the surface of tea, making it visually appealing to the consumer, he adds.

Product innovation includes Drury Tea & Coffee Company's newly launched range of nylon pyramid speciality teabags. The material allows the use of large leaf tea in teabag form and the bag shape lets the tea brew more efficiently. The range comprises 17 different tea varieties and each tea is available in catering packs of 100.

"We've been encouraged to make a substantial investment in machinery by the growth of speciality tea in recent years," says director Marco Olmi. "The new packs look stunning and we believe our faith in both the retail and out of home tea market will be repaid.

"What is special about the nylon bags is that they allow us to use real leaf, so we don't have to compromise on the type of tea we put into a bag. The benefit for the consumer is that these bags have all the flavour of leaf tea coupled with the convenience of teabags."

LPV International, the company behind the Lu Lin Chinese tea brand, has also invested in a new look for tea with what it claims is the world's first 'tea cubes'. Eight varieties are available in the initial range.

"Following the success of products such as sugar and stock cubes, we're now bringing the shape to teabags for very good reasons," says director Hans Verhoosel. "Traditionally shaped bags can't contain whole leaf tea as it would be too cramped to brew properly in their confines, resulting in a massive loss of flavour. That space constraint helps explain why conventionally shaped teabags usually contain poorer quality ingredients, which don't need much room to brew.

"The innovative design means Lu Lin cubed teabags contain only premium whole leaf tea, hand picked, chemical free and in bags which don't lose their shape during brewing."