Top 10 Tea Companies in the World 2018

tea companies

Consumer preferences and their consumption habits are changing drastically around the world from having sugar-laden carbonated soft drinks to healthier halos such as tea, coffee, herbals and energy drinks. These factors are creating a favorable situation for many leading tea companies across the world with the global tea market growing at an unprecedented rate over the last few years. Indeed, the tea industry is stealing the spotlight in the global beverages market owing to the growing number of people across all age groups beginning to choose drinking hot tea over other beverages.

For the latest tea market report, global tea market size, top tea companies, and future trends in this market please see Technavio’s  Global Tea Market Report 2018-2022, or download your FREE Tea Market Report Sample now!

Global Tea Market Analysis

The latest market research from Technavio predicts that the global tea market will grow steadily and register a CAGR of more than 4% by 2021. A major part of this growth is attributed to the major revenue contribution by APAC region. Tea is highly-consumed in this region and the consumers prefer tea multiple times a day. Given the size of the tea industry and its growth potential, the world is witnessing a spurt in a number of existing companies and up-starts that are endeavoring to offer varieties of tea products and to establish a top position in tea retail and consumer market. The report also identifies several world’s leading tea companies with top tea brands that are expected to continuingly dominate the global tea market over the near future.

View related market report: Global Green Tea Market 2018-2022

Top 10 Tea Companies in the World 2018

Tata Global Beverages

From a predominantly domestic Indian tea farming entity to a brand-focused global organization, Tata Global Beverages has evolved significantly over the last several years, backed by a strong experience in the beverages industry and a heritage of innovation and development. The company is currently one fo the top three largest tea brands in the global tea market with a strong portfolio of tea brands that include Himalayan, Tata Tea, Tetley, Vitax, Jemča, Grand Coffee and Joekels. Tata Global Beverages has a joint venture with PepsiCo called NourishCo, which produces and sells non-carbonated ready-to-drink (RTD) beverages that focus on health and wellness.

The company also has a JV with Starbucks Cafes called Tata Starbucks Ltd, to operate Starbucks in India. Tata Global Beverages has a presence in the high-growth ‘single-serve’ business in Canada through an agreement with Tassimo for Tetley tea, and Green Mountain Coffee Roasters’ Keurig single-serve machines for MAP Coffee, and Eight O’Clock Coffee.

Unilever

Unilever, a company which entered the tea industry through the acquisition of existing tea companies is today a dominant player in the global market, continuing to mark its footprints in several countries. The company includes some of the most innovative and biggest names in the tea market. Lipton, one of the world’s best-selling tea brands, is consumed in over 110 countries, while iconic brands like Brooke Bond, Bushells and PG tips refresh millions of tea-drinkers every day.

In 2017, Unilever acquired two new tea brands. The first acquisition is TAZO from Starbucks, which has a strong foothold in specialty green, black, and herbal teas, along with the liquid concentrated used in chai lattes. The second is Pukka Herbs which uses 100% organic, certified ingredients to produce the herbal teas and supplements.

Related market report: Global Hot Drink Market Report 2017-2021

Associated British Foods

With prominent positions in various categories of food segments, Associated British Foods (ABF) stands as one of the top producers of consumables in the United Kingdom. Although the company’s bread-baking operation is its oldest business, ABF makes the major chunk of its money from clothes with the high-street fashion chain Primark. The company also produces grocery products, agricultural products, sugar, and ingredients.

ABF’s grocery lines include household staples Tip Top, Allinson, Argo corn starch, Karo syrup, Silver Spoon sugar, Kingsmill bread, and Twinings tea. Twinings, known as one of the best tea companies in the world, has been the ABF’s largest tea business since 1706 and is now a global brand with over 200 teas sold in more than 100 countries across the world.

Nestle

Nestle is one of the largest companies in the global food and beverage industry that provides baby food, breakfast cereals, bottled water, confectionery, dairy products, frozen food, pet foods, and snacks, ice cream, medical food, coffee, and tea. Nestle’s iced tea brand NESTEA has been a trusted and most-popular iced tea choice for nearly seven decades.

NESTEA provides a range of tea products, including ready-to-drink bottles, liquid and powdered tea concentrates, and refrigeratable teas dispensed by intelligent vending machines. In 2017, NESTEA unveiled a reinvention that included a new brand look, new bottles, and exclusive premium product line with a focus on simplicity.

Find out Nestle’s market share in the global tea market

ITO EN INC

ITO EN is one of Japan’s biggest makers of green tea drinks, coffee products, and vegetable juices. ITO EN entered the United States (North America) in May 2001 with the aim of introducing the company’s line of green tea products and creating a green tea culture in the US and beyond. Today, the group operates in Japan, the US, and Australia with its main brands including Tully’s Coffee, Oi Ocha, and Kenko Mineral Mugicha.

Responding to the growing consumer demands for healthy and organic drinks, the innovator of Japan’s #1 brand, Oi Ocha, recently launched an Organic read-to-drink and the Organic Matcha powder in Single Serve packets for the U.S. market.

Barry’s Tea

A family business founded in 1901 by James J. Barry’s tea has grown into a much-loved international brand with its presence in several countries through distributors and retail shops.  The company has a long-established reputation as one of Ireland’s top tea companies and is best-known for providing high-quality tea products. Today, Barry’s Tea accounts for a whopping 38 % share of the Irish market and possesses niche product distribution around the world.

Barry’s tea continues to be a leader in the Gold segment of the tea market. The Cork brew’s success is attributed to the contribution of marketing and advertising, which highlights the sociable aspect of drinking tea, presenting a range of ‘golden moments’.

Related market report: Global Slimming Tea Market Report 2018-2022

Dilmah

Dilmah, a Sri Lankan family tea company founded by Merrill J. Fernando is the world’s most experienced teamaker today, challenging multinational companies in the global tea industry. Over the decades, the company has become champion in quality, authenticity, excellence, and variety in tea. Dilmah went against the tea market trends in 1988 to pioneer the concept of Single Origin in order to represent its commitment to authenticity.

Dilmah is the only tea company which has ownership of Sri Lanka’s modern factories, the finest tea gardens, packaging and printing facilities and investments in various segments of the tea industry.  The company offers ready to drink tea and liquid tea concentrates through its subsidiary, MJF Beverages.

Celestial Seasonings

Celestial Seasonings is one of the largest herbal tea producers in the US. Indeed, they are one of the creators of the natural food movement. The company markets approximately 50 different varieties of tea in the US and around the world. Celestial Seasonings serves over 1.6 billion cups of tea every year with product base expanded to include product lines for chai tea, wellness tea, green tea, Cool Brew iced tea, rooibos tea, and the ingredients, more than 100 of them sourced from over 35 countries, making Celestial Seasonings one of the largest tea companies in the world.

Celestial Seasonings’ tea factory is situated in the Gunbarrel neighborhood of Northeast Boulder. The company offers a free tour of their factory to the visitors and gives them a chance to witness everything from manufacturing teas to packaging them.

Related market report: Organic Tea Market in the US 2017-2021

Harny’s and Sons

Over three decades ago in Salisbury, John Harney developed a passion and interest for fine teas, which led to the formation of Harney & Sons. The company which started as a small home-run business turned into a global operation with new headquarters in Millerton, New York permeating 90,000 square feet of warehouse space and more 200 employees.

Harney’s & Son’s source a wide range of the fine teas from across the world and their products are on the menus of several big restaurants and cafes around the world. It offers black tea, green tea, white tea, jasmine tea, herbal tea, and other organic, decaffeinated, art, oolong and earl grey teas. The company’s portfolio also includes bottled drinks, such as iced teas, coconut water, ginger ale, and organic bottled juices.

The Republic of Tea

With a history and experience of 25 years in the tea industry, The Republic of Tea is one of the leading tea companies in the world with an impressive growth over the decades. Founded in 1992, the company has offered the finest premium teas that delivered a wide range of health benefits, through a continued and dedicated emphasis on enriching consumer’s lives. The Republic of Tea offers the product through sales outlets such as Citizens and Embassies, which includes a collection of over 300 all-natural premium teas and herbs along with unique sipware.

Related market report: Global Caffeine-based Drinks Market 2018-2022

Global Tea Market Trends and Forecast

Why is tea becoming more popular? The growing awareness regarding the health benefits of consuming tea, economic advantages, and most importantly the presence of flavonoid antioxidant content in tea are the factors that are anticipated to cause a surge in the growth of the global tea market throughout the forecast period. This market research report identifies the growing use of natural, herbal and green tea as one of the primary growth factors for the global tea market. The anti-bacterial and anti-oxidant properties of green tea make it useful in curing hormonal imbalances in the body and controlling weight. It also helps in flushing out toxins from the body and provides protection against cancer. All these benefits of drinking tea are expected to boost the consumption of the tea in the global market, especially for more natural and healthy product segments such as green tea, herbal tea and organic tea.

Most Frequent Asked Questions in the Global Tea Market:

  • What is the current global tea market size?
  • What are the major opportunities and challenges in the global tea market?
  • Which countries have the highest tea beverage sales?
  • Who are the largest tea companies & tea brands by market share?
  • What are the global tea market trends in the near future?

All the detailed answers can be seen in this following report: