Some Like It Sweet: There’s Sugar in My Tea!

This is an excerpt from one of my World Tea News articles. It’s part one in a three part series. Read part two here and part three here. To find out more about my freelance writing or to ask me about writing copy for your tea business, please contact me at vee at veetea dot com. Thank you.

Sweet Tea Remixed

Traditional sweet teas are surging in popularity, but sweet tea is also getting reinvented as Arnold Palmers, tea lattes, tea cocktails and frozen tea treats to appeal to varied market segments.

Arnold Palmers are half-lemonade, half-iced tea drinks that were named after the golfer and are sometimes known as a “half-and-halves.” Lately, they’ve popped up in bottles, tearooms and even Starbucks.

Tea lattes are a variation on Italian caffe lattes, which were successfully adapted by the coffee industry before moving into the tea world. Many consider them to be a good introductory tea for coffee drinkers.

Benoit Cornet, master mixologist at New York City’s Sanctuary T, said the rapid rise of the tea cocktail is part of the green lifestyle trend. He added, “Tea is a symbol of that trend,” so it’s perceived as “a healthy way to enjoy a cocktail.”

Frozen sweet teas are appearing in both foodie media and in “natural” freezer sections. Bon Appetit, Gourmet Magazine and The Food Network have all touted tea granitas, and Wise Acre’s FrosTeas expanded to Midwestern frozen aisles August 11 after success on the East Coast. Wise Acre’s owner Jim Picariello credited this trend to the perception of sweet tea as a “sophisticated, grown-up” treat.

Soon, you’ll be able to read the remainder of this article on my portfolio site, Copy & Taste.