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42 Tea Statistics to Spice-up Your Favorite Brew in 2021

TEA STATISTICS

Whether it’s a herbal infusion, warm cup of afternoon delight, cocktail blend, or a tender mix poured over cracked ice in the summer, one thing is for sure – everybody drinks tea. 

However, there’s so much information about tea consumption and production no one’s ever heard about. 

That’s why we compiled these amazing tea statistics – to make your mind glitter with excitement and your next cup even more enjoyable! 

In this article, you’ll find general facts and stats on the delicious warm beverage, some information on consumption and production of tea, how much money tea is actually worth, a bit of tea trivia, and some history to keep in mind. 

The Top 10 Statistics and Facts about Tea

  • Tea is generally low in caffeine
  • China exported far more green tea than black tea in 2020
  • Black tea is much more prevalent in the US than any other tea
  • Pakistan was the leading tea importer in the world as of 2019
  • More than 159 million Americans drink tea daily
  • Females consume more tea than men (53.2% vs. 48.6%)
  • Revenue from tea is estimated to be around $231,043 million in the year 2020
  • The global tea market should gross over $318 billion by 2025
  • Just five countries dominate the tea market, accounting for 88.75% of global tea production by the top 10 producers
  • There are at least 1000 varieties of tea in the world

General Tea Facts and Stats

The term tea is more or less a household name for many. However, why do many people consume this aromatic beverage? Some can’t even start their day without having a warm cup of this organically sourced drink. Well, we’ll see why in a bit.

This section introduces you to general statistics and facts about tea. The following statistics provide valuable info on tea’s top constituents, major reasons why people consume it, alongside its origin. Let’s have a look.

(Statista)

In fact, it is consumed more than any other non-alcoholic drink aside from plain drinking water. Tea buyers really love their drink of choice.

2. The key market drivers for the tea industry are health and well-being benefits.

(BeverageDaily) (World Tea News)

According to official tea statistics for 2020, the tea market is expanding on a massive scale due to many different reasons. Among them, health-related issues seem to be the leading driver of such expansion.

People are getting more and more aware of the nutritional and health benefits of tea. This awareness coincides with increased per capita income levels across many developing and emerging economies, leading to more spending. Nowhere is this more evident than in China and India. Chinese tea facts have it that China alone consumes 40% of the total world’s tea production.

3. The first time tea was recorded in history, it was referred to as a medicinal beverage. 

(Harvard School of Public Health)

This occurred in China during the 3rd Century AD when tea was known for its health properties. 

4. Traditional teas are rich in caffeine and polyphenols. 

(Harvard School of Public Health)

Tea nutrition facts say that it’s the polyphenols that give the tea its taste and scent. There are three types of polyphenols: flavonols, theaflavins, and catechins. 

5. According to a study by Harvard, people who consumed one or more cups of black tea every day were 44% less likely to have a heart attack. 

(Tea USA)

Many studies link the drinking of tea to having a healthier heart. 

6. Consuming teas without calories can help in weight management efforts. 

(Tea USA)

Tea facts on health show that the properties of tea have been linked to increased metabolism. This can help you lose weight or maintain a specific weight, depending on your consumption and goals. 

7. 38% of people who consume tea prefer to drink herbal tea. 

(Statista)

This was the result of a survey conducted in the United States in 2019. 

8. Every type of true tea comes from the Camellia sinensis plant leaves. 

(Tea Class)

The different types of tea are made by making changes to the leaves, referred to as “processing.” According to tea facts, teas that don’t come from the Camellia sinensis plant aren’t really teas but are “infusions.”

9. Essentially, there are only five different types of teas. 

(Tea Class)

These are white tea, green tea, oolong tea, black tea, and pu’erh tea. While these all have different tastes and properties, they are all made from the leaves of the same plant; they are simply processed differently.

10. Tea is generally low in caffeine.

(Healthline)

Caffeine is safe unless consumed in excessive amounts. You can take up to 400mg of caffeine a day, consuming as high as 200mg per dose. Some interesting facts about tea claim that caffeine is the best natural stimulant, and over 80% of people consume it worldwide. It keeps you alert, energetic, and in a good mood.

However, too much caffeine disrupts sleep, creates anxiety and restlessness, and can be mildly addictive. The amount of caffeine in tea depends on its origin, type, and processing. 

Coffee generally has more caffeine than tea. A cup of black tea contains, on average, 47 mg of caffeine and can also contain as high as 90 mg.

11. You will find that herbal teas are not true teas. 

(Food Network)

Herbal tea facts show that they are made using dried or fresh seeds, plant barks, flowers, herbs, or roots, and steeping them in boiling water. 

12. Rooibos tea is a South African red tea that contains many antioxidants. 

(Medical News Today)

The flavorful tea is free from caffeine and is believed to have many different health benefits. 

13. White tea is the least oxidized tea. 

(Tea How)

On the other end of the spectrum, you will find black tea, which is the most oxidized tea you will find. This is one of the interesting black tea nutrition facts. 

14. When tea is manufactured, the leaves are withered, rolled, fermented, and dried. 

(Encyclopaedia Britannica)

This process is to make sure that the leaf is fully dried and give the tea the chemical constituents that give it the flavor that is unique to each type of tea. 

World Tea Consumption Statistics and Production Stats

This section will expose you to statistics that revolve around the production and consumption of tea, alongside the global tea sales for 2020. It provides credible info on the key market players alongside the types of tea dominant in different regions of the world. Let’s jump right into it.

15. China produces the most tea in the world. 

(Statista)

China is the tea capital of the world. India, Kenya, Sri Lanka, and Indonesia are the other top tea-producing countries in the world.

16. China exported far more green tea than black tea in 2020.

(Statista) 

According to tea statistics for 2021, 84% (293,000 metric tonnes) of all Chinese tea exports were green tea. Having its roots in China itself, green tea is a trendy beverage in the US and worldwide. However, why is this so?

China has vast lands where green tea does exceptionally well. As such, the Chinese are taking advantage of this nature’s gift to export more green tea than any country worldwide. 

Between 2015-2019, China dominated the green tea market in America by producing nearly half of America’s green tea imports.

17. Turkey consumes the most tea globally, with everyone drinking an average of 6.96 lb of tea each year. 

(WorldAtlas)

According to tea consumption by country, Ireland consumes 4.83 lb (2.19 kg) of tea per person per year, and the United Kingdom consumes 4.28 lb (1.94 kg) per person per year.

18. There are ten major global players in the tea industry.

(AMR)

There are hundreds of tea companies worldwide, and just like in many other industries, the big boys control the majority of the income. Based on statistics about the tea market in 2020, these big boys include:

  • Associated British Foods
  • Unilever Group
  • The Republic of Tea Inc
  • Barry’s Tea Limited
  • Hain Celestial Group Inc
  • Tata Global Beverages
  • Tae Tea
  • ITO EN Ltd
  • Nestle S.A.
  • Mcleod Russel India Limited.

These players embark on an expansion strategy to grow revenue from the industry. Top tea statistics prove that they also rely on product launches to widen their offers and keep up with the competition.

19. In 2018, China produced an estimated 2.62 million metric tons of leaves for the delicious warm beverage. 

(Statista)

This shows that tea production has increased in China because, in 2006, the amount of tea produced was only around 1.02 million metric tons.

20. Black tea is much more prevalent in the US than any other tea.

(Tea & Coffee) (Revolution Tea)

America imports various RTD (ready to drink) tea from several countries, including China and Japan. There’s a large market for all kinds of tea in the US, but black tea is favored 84% of the time. The US consumed some 3.8 billion gallons of tea in 2018 alone, and only 15% was green tea. However, consumption of green tea is on the rise across North America.

According to tea industry statistics, what drives this growth of green tea consumption includes its bold flavor alongside the caffeine boost it provides.

21. Globally, around 5.2 million metric tons of tea were produced in 2015. 

(Statista)

China produced around half of all the tea produced globally in that year alone.

22. Pakistan was the leading tea importer in the world as of 2019.

(Statista) (Geo News)

Pakistan imported almost $500 million worth of tea, followed by the US and Russia at 488 million and 426 million, respectively. Several factors drive the tea market in Pakistan, with one of the top reasons being that Pakistanis believe the health benefits of tea are everlasting.

Recent Thai tea nutrition facts and statistics reveal Pakistan has developed a strong cultural connection with tea over the years. It’s typical for a Pakistani to offer you a cup of tea when you visit. 

They also celebrate with tea, and they use it to cure or weather down certain illnesses. Many also resort to it as their companion on a rainy day, claiming it helps keep them warm during the winter.

23. People drink around 1.42 million pounds of tea in the US every day. 

(Tea How)

Tea is one of the most popular beverages in the country and is consumed more than most other non-alcoholic beverages, aside from water. The US tea market is huge.

24. More than 159 million Americans drink tea daily.

(Tea Association of the USA, Inc.)

This subsequently resulted in America consuming over 84 billion tea servings in 2020 alone. Based on recent reports, a whopping 80% of American households possess tea.

Tea consumption by state dipped in 2019 due to COVID-19 but later picked up and even exceeded previous levels. 

People take more tea today because of the lockdowns and to help relieve stress. What’s more, America is the only Western country growing in the importation and consumption of tea.

25. Nigeria has a large unexploited market for tea.

(SpringerLink)

Nigeria is home to the largest population in Africa, where tea is being produced locally but only manages to satisfy some 10% of domestic consumption. As such, investing in Nigeria’s tea sector will likely yield massive benefits for entrepreneurs. Much of Nigeria’s tea production commenced as far back as 1982 in the Mambilla Plateau located in Taraba State, Nigeria.

However, despite being one of the high-ranked tea-drinking countries in Africa and possessing abundant land for tea farming on the Mambilla Plateau, most Nigerians show little interest in cultivating and developing these areas for tea production.

26. Women consume more tea than men (53.2% vs. 48.6%).

(Specialty Tea Institute)

Reports on tea consumption by gender show that tea consumers are changing simultaneously as the tea market expands. One of the reasons for the expansion of the tea industry is that men are now taking almost as much tea as women. 

Historically in the USA, ladies and the elderly were the primary consumers of tea. However, it’s clear from tea statistics for 2021 that times have changed.

Younger people, especially men, weren’t favorable of tea back then, and that’s one reason the market was relatively small. Fast forward to the 21st century and the advent of RTD (ready to drink) tea brands, young men 14-28 years old are now a primary target of tea demographics. 

This explains why the consumption gap between men and female tea drinkers is almost leveled up.

Tea brands mix a lot of ingredients into their products to improve all aspects of the consumption experience. 

This, coupled with other overhyped health benefits, are the top reasons why many young men now find tea irresistible.

27. 80% of tea consumed in America is iced.

(Nestle Professional) (Good Life Tea)

This is a significant diversion from the traditional tea consumption–all over the world, tea is mainly drunk hot. 

Other locations such as India and Africa even add spices to their tea. China also sees a growth in the consumption of hot tea, and so does Thailand. 

So why do Americans prefer iced tea? Unsweetened iced tea nutrition facts show that several reasons underlie this popularity.

Possible explanations for this could be the climate. Iced tea might not have been popular around the world due to the absence of freezers. 

Iced tea might also have come about from a trend started by someone. Its history is often linked to a man known as Richard Blechynden.

Richard tried to sell people hot tea during a hot season at the World’s Fair. Understandably, people declined to buy. From historic nutrition facts about tea, it’s reported that Richard decided to chill the tea before serving it. As a result, people flocked to his tent for it.

Money and Tea Facts and Statistics

Markets experience a significant level of fluctuations based on people’s needs. However, the tea market has stood the test of time, boasting tremendous growth over the years.

Prior to the pandemic, the tea market was the biggest beverage market, only second to water. This has resulted in excessively high demand and an unmatching low supply of tea products. Reports have it that the wholesale tea leaves’ prices spiked by 50% since March 2020.

The following statistics speak on how the global tea industry is faring over time and future trends drawn from chai tea nutrition facts on the net.

28. Revenue from tea is estimated to be around $231,043 million in the year 2020. 

(Statista)

It is believed that the market will grow by 6.7% yearly from 2020 through to 2025. Most of the global tea revenue is made by China.

29. Lipton Pure Leah was the highest-selling ready-to-drink brand of tea in the US in 2019. 

(Statista)

According to tea consumption statistics, $718 million was made in sales of this specific brand during that year, showing that this is a very popular American tea.

30. In 2018, the global tea market had a value of around $52 billion. 

(Statista)

It was estimated at the time that the value of the tea market would rise to $81 billion by 2026.

31. The global tea market should gross over $318 billion by 2025.

(Statista) (Ezine Articles) (BeverageDaily)

According to Statista, the global market value of tea in 2020 was $200 billion. Although tea was once taken as a medicinal beverage, it has gained so much popularity over time that people drink it equaly for pleasure and health benefits. 

Another reason for this market growth is the different ingredients companies add to their tea product to perfect its flavor, taste, smell, and physiological effects. The increase in tea consumption per capita also has a role to play in this growth.

There’s also the idea of people being addicted to tea due to its caffeine content. The caffeine in tea is reportedly low compared to coffee. 

Despite this, people looking to escape the higher range of caffeine in coffees will typically turn to black or green tea. They provide a similar experience as coffee and are a lot less bitter.

32. In 2016, the ready-to-drink market for tea and coffee was around $75.25 billion.

(Grand View Research)

This shows that the popular ready-to-drink beverages consumed daily by many people are growing in demand and will likely continue to do so as the years go by. 

Fun Facts About Tea

Did you know that it takes approximately 2,000 tea leaves to produce just one pound of finished tea? Quite stunning, right?

Well, that’s not all. We have more.

In the following paragraphs, you will learn some weird and unexpected facts about the tea industry. You’ll also find stats that talk about just how many varieties of tea abound as well as details on tea health facts.

33. Just five countries dominate the tea market, accounting for 88.75% of global tea production by the top 10 producers.

(Farrer’s Coffee)

These countries reap the most benefit from tea production worldwide, and they include China, India, Kenya, Sri Lanka, and Turkey. These countries have been producing tea for decades, and their production volumes have steadily increased as both international and local demand for tea skyrocketed in recent years.

China has always led the world in tea production accounting for 40% of the world’s tea production. 

One of the most interesting black tea facts is that tea was first discovered in China thousands of years ago. As such, tea production can be linked to the Chinese culture, which explains why the Chinese produce more tea.

(Business Wire) (NCBI)

Black tea plants contain many valuable elements, such as epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG). This element is a bioactive molecule notorious for fighting viruses, and some studies suggest that the component can help COVID-19 patients. 

It has also shown some anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory, and antiproliferative properties, as seen in reports on the nutritional facts of tea.

Many theaflavins (TFs) are also present in black tea in much more significant amounts than in any other tea type. These elements have similar properties as ECCG.

35. The most expensive tea you can buy is called golden tips and costs around $200 a gram. 

(Inside Edition)

This is four times as expensive as buying gold. The tea comes from Sri Lanka and is only picked when the conditions allow for it. The tea leaves are then dried using a cloth made of velvet.

36. Most teas are grown in mountainous areas.

(Red Blossom Tea Company)

According to tea statistics for 2020, the reason for this is simple–tea grown on elevated lands has better quality. They also command higher prices than those produced on the low-land. In Taiwan, farmers are increasingly migrating their production to mountains and more elevated areas.

However, why’s this?

Temperature is colder on highlands, thus slowing down tea’s growth and leading to a lower yield. However, the slow growth is what gives highland tea a better flavor and reduces its bitterness. As such, top tea-drinking countries tend to produce most of their tea on high ground.

37. Tea has many health benefits.

(Penn Medicine)

Many studies have linked tea to some health benefits that are worth knowing. The level of benefits associated with a tea depends on its type. While all tea comes from the same plant, the processing and oxidation levels create differences between black, green, white, dark, and oolong tea.

Some studies have concluded that white tea is more effective in fighting cancer than others. 

According to some nutrition facts about tea, white tea has fluoride, catechins, and tannins, which effectively strengthen the teeth and fight the plague. These elements also make white tea resistant to sugar and acid. It is also the tea variety with the least amount of caffeine.

38. Tasseography is the name given to the reading of tea leaves. 

(NPR)

According to reports on the history of tea, the term comes from the French word for cup (tasse) and ends with the Greek suffix for the writing (graph). When reading tea leaves, the practitioners of this mystical art look at patterns left by the tea leaves after a cup has been emptied of its contents.

39. There are at least 1000 varieties of tea in the world.

(Statista)

The most well-known tea variety is black tea. It is followed by green tea, white tea, and then oolong. 

Tea species are differentiated according to whether they oxidize or not and on the level of oxidation in the leaves. Reports on the tea market in 2020 show that oxidation occurs in tea leaves that have been harvested, crushed, and muddled together.

Black tea receives the most oxidation, green and white tea doesn’t oxidize, and oolong tea only partially oxidizes. 

The best tea for health does not oxidize, because oxidation increases the caffeine content of tea and gives it a bring, tangy taste. 

Why then do most people settle for black tea despite being aware that high levels of caffeine are not suitable for optimal health? Black tea nutrition facts claim it is probably due to its superior taste and relatively low price.

History of Tea

Stats and facts in this section are related to the history of tea, although they may not specifically explore history. You’ll be educated on how different countries came about tea as well as the historical patterns of tea consumption in the US.

40. Originally, tea was only for the elite in England. 

(Royal Museums Greenwich)

When tea originally made its way to England in the 16th Century, it was extremely expensive and was only consumed by those who could afford it. 

41. The first stock of tea was brought to Europe from China by the Dutch East India Company in 1610. 

(Encyclopaedia Britannica)

Later, tea was grown in Ceylon and India by the British during colonization. Now, tea is a popular beverage in the United Kingdom and is consumed in great amounts, which is evident if you look at tea drinkers and their demographics.  

42. Thomas Sullivan was the first to create tea bags in 1908 in the United States. 

(Tea Answers)

He made little bags out of silk to hand over to customers for tea samples. Apparently, a few customers believed that the bags were intended to go straight in the pot, and that’s how it started. It’s strange to think that this is how the use of bags with tea leaves in them became something that we use today. 

FAQ

How many people drink tea every day?

Even though it’s not the most popular drink in the world, statistics show that around 2 billion people drink tea all around the world. The tea market in the USA is huge, with around 1.42 million pounds of tea being consumed within the country daily. The most common tea in the US is black tea, which many people enjoy. 

Which country consumes the most tea?

Turkey consumes the most amount of tea in the whole world. The people in Turkey drink around 9.96 lb, which works out to be around 3.16 kg of tea every year. The country that consumes the second-largest amount of tea is Ireland, where they drink about 4.83 lb, which works out to be around 2.19 kg of tea per year. The country that drinks the third-largest amount of tea is the United Kingdom. They drink around 4.28 lb, which works out to about 1.94 kg of tea per year. 

How many cups of tea are drunk everyday throughout the world?

Throughout the world, around 25,000 units of tea are drunk each second. That works out to around 2.16 billion units (or cups) of tea every single day. That’s a lot of tea, which isn’t really a surprise, given that tea is the second most popular non-alcoholic beverage next to plain drinking water. So next time you enjoy a nice cup of tea, remember that you’re probably not alone. 

How much is the tea market worth?

Important tea trivia: the tea market worldwide was worth around $52 billion in the year 2018. The tea industry is huge, making quite a bit of money worldwide in trade and purchases. 

Conclusion

At the beginning of the day, billions of people worldwide enjoy a cup of delicious tea. The tea market is worth large sums of money, and there is even a tea that costs four times the price of gold. 

We hope you’ve enjoyed all these fascinating tea statistics and facts that we’ve gathered to keep you informed on the delicious beverage. 

Sources: 

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Jessica is a writer and editor from Cape Town, South Africa. She started her journey studying journalism and media studies, along with English literature. Since then, she’s written for many different websites on a number of subjects. She loves any topic that she can really sink her teeth into, and she makes sure that everything she writes is thoroughly researched.

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