France rediscovering tea and forming new tea identity
While France is famous for its penchant for coffee, the country is reportedly undergoing a silent tea revolution, with consumers rediscovering the long-lost tradition of tea drinking. Tea was popular in the 18th and 19th centuries, especially amongst the aristocracy, but interest dwindled in the first half of the 20th century. Now, the health and fashion conscious French middle-class is rediscovering these roots and is carving out a new identity for itself based on refined and delicate teas, as opposed to Britain's predilection for a strong black cuppa. Dammann, Marriage Frères and Kusmi are just some of the local companies making inroads at home and abroad, while tea salons continue to pop up in cities and towns nationwide.