Get a makeover, tea producers told
Monday, September 10, 2007
FACED with falling prices and competition from coffee growers, global tea producers are being stirred into action to boost their image in order to regain consumers in the cut-throat beverage market.
Tea, the world's most consumed drink behind water, is seen as an "old ladies' drink" and is being abandoned by youngsters who pay top dollar for trendy coffees such as mochas and frothy cappu-ccinos, industry officials say.
"Producing countries need to make tea more fashionable, by highlighting its health benefits, put out products like tea-laced biscuits, cakes, (also) perhaps a line of merchandise," said US Tea Association president Joe Simrany.
Big producers such as Sri Lanka, Kenya and India have failed to add more value to the brew, leaving tea trailing behind coffee in the US$70-billion global hot drinks market, according to a recent industry meeting here.
Simrany said 85 per cent of the tea annually sold in America is consumed as iced tea.
"Iced tea drinks are bringing vitality to the drink, showing youngsters the world over that tea isn't your grandma's beverage anymore," said Pearl Dexter, editor of the US-based Tea A Magazine.
Americans still prefer coffee, but attitudes are changing with convenience stores stocking up on a range of ready-to-drink and premium gourmet teas.
But more needs to be done in terms of branding and raising quality standards, Simrany said.
Tea barons in India, the world's second-biggest producer behind China, have begun to replace their ageing tea gardens with high-yielding clones to boost production and improve quality.
"As producers, we need to take control of our destiny and take value addition more seriously," said Chirinjib Singh Bedi, vice chairman of India's Tea Research Institute.
In Sri Lanka and Kenya, the cost of tea production sometimes is more than the market price.
"Energy costs are soaring and wages of pluckers are also rising," said Peter Mbadi, the Kenyan Tea Development Authority's deputy manager.
AFP
Tea, the world's most consumed drink behind water, is seen as an "old ladies' drink" and is being abandoned by youngsters who pay top dollar for trendy coffees such as mochas and frothy cappu-ccinos, industry officials say.
"Producing countries need to make tea more fashionable, by highlighting its health benefits, put out products like tea-laced biscuits, cakes, (also) perhaps a line of merchandise," said US Tea Association president Joe Simrany.
Big producers such as Sri Lanka, Kenya and India have failed to add more value to the brew, leaving tea trailing behind coffee in the US$70-billion global hot drinks market, according to a recent industry meeting here.
Simrany said 85 per cent of the tea annually sold in America is consumed as iced tea.
"Iced tea drinks are bringing vitality to the drink, showing youngsters the world over that tea isn't your grandma's beverage anymore," said Pearl Dexter, editor of the US-based Tea A Magazine.
Americans still prefer coffee, but attitudes are changing with convenience stores stocking up on a range of ready-to-drink and premium gourmet teas.
But more needs to be done in terms of branding and raising quality standards, Simrany said.
Tea barons in India, the world's second-biggest producer behind China, have begun to replace their ageing tea gardens with high-yielding clones to boost production and improve quality.
"As producers, we need to take control of our destiny and take value addition more seriously," said Chirinjib Singh Bedi, vice chairman of India's Tea Research Institute.
In Sri Lanka and Kenya, the cost of tea production sometimes is more than the market price.
"Energy costs are soaring and wages of pluckers are also rising," said Peter Mbadi, the Kenyan Tea Development Authority's deputy manager.
AFP
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