Industry insider identifies trends of 2011
According to Kim Jage, executive vice president of World Tea Expo, the US tea industry is in line for a busy 2011, with several major trends that will likely have a lasting impact on the market. Some of those trends include modern and user-friendly tea accessories, tea lines created by celebrities and the rise of tea-specific outlets. The hottest demographic is expected to be men and millennials, which are beginning to be targeted with specific product lines and marketing strategies. A shift from specialty to a quality-oriented premium tea category is likely to help manufacturers maximize value. Finally, social media is predicted to play an increasingly important role in marketing and interacting with customers.