Tag: Tea

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Jenki opens a matcha bar in Soho and targets 11 London sites by the end of 2026

Jenki, the matcha brand founded in 2020 by Claudia and Otto Boyer, opened a new bar on September 3 at 100 Berwick Street in London’s Soho. The site was designed by KAI Interiors as a nod to Japan’s tea fields: wood flooring with curves mimicking planting rows, natural clay walls, timber, natural fibres and suspended fabric “sails” that echo the shading of tea bushes before harvest.

At the centre of the space is a station where first-harvest matcha, sourced directly from Japan, is whisked in full view. The bar also includes a retail area with matcha powder, preparation tools and a lifestyle collection.

The opening is part of an accelerated expansion plan: from its six existing sites (Selfridges, Spitalfields, Covent Garden, Borough Market, Canary Wharf and Battersea Power Station), Jenki wants to reach 11 in London by year-end, with Liverpool Street, St Paul’s, Fitzrovia and Marylebone on the list, and from 2027 it is looking at other UK cities. The company says this would make it Europe’s largest dedicated matcha bar operator.

Source: The Grocer

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Birchall Invests £1 Million to Premiumise Britain’s Tea Habit

British family company Birchall, now in its fifth generation, is launching a £1 million marketing campaign in September for its flagship product, Great Rift Breakfast Tea, a blend recognised at the Great Taste Awards for 16 consecutive years. The campaign includes a 30-second TV advert on ITV1, digital and social media content, plus retail activity in Waitrose stores and on Ocado.

The centrepiece is a six-part documentary series of roughly two minutes per episode, filmed in Rwanda and Kenya, in which founder Dan Graham introduces the estates and the people behind the tea, alongside representatives of the conservation charity Tusk. A share of Great Rift sales supports Tusk’s African wildlife protection projects.

The stated aim is to persuade Britons to choose tea with the same care they apply to specialty coffee, with a focus on origin and production method. Graham said that for years tea has largely been bought “out of habit”. Since 2011, Birchall has collected 101 Great Taste awards across its entire range.

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Source: Tea & Coffee Trade Journal

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Record tea harvest in Japan: Shizuoka retakes the lead and the Uji market hits an all-time high

Figures released by Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture show a marked increase in first-flush tea production in 2026. Shizuoka Prefecture has retaken the top spot with 10,700 tonnes of crude tea, up 32% year on year, while Kagoshima, the 2025 leader, rose 14% to 9,610 tonnes. Together with Mie, Kyoto and Saitama, output from the main prefectures reached 24,100 tonnes, a 21% gain, even though the harvested area edged down to 22,000 hectares.

Kyoto’s Uji market recorded transactions worth 12.94 billion yen between 24 April and 31 July, beating the previous record of 9.63 billion. Tencha volume — the leaf ground into matcha — hit 595 tonnes, the highest since the market opened in 1974, and the average price of machine-harvested tencha climbed to 17,250 yen per kilogram.

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Source: Global Japanese Tea Association

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North American Tea Conference 2026 takes place in September, with a competition and sustainability awards

Canada’s and the US’s industry associations — the Tea and Herbal Association of Canada and the Tea Association of the U.S.A. — are jointly hosting the North American Tea Conference 2026, running 22-24 September at Queen’s Landing in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Canada.

The event brings together professionals from across the tea value chain, from producers to retailers, for three days of sessions on market trends and innovation. Its centerpiece is the Gold Medal Tea Competition, which judges teas from identical origins against one another to determine quality, alongside the Sustainability Awards, which recognize companies’ efforts across the supply chain. Both had an entry deadline of 21 August.

This year’s edition also includes a „Tea Maker Collaboration Project,” a non-competitive initiative in its inaugural year, designed to showcase the work behind every cup of tea.

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Source: Tea and Herbal Association of Canada

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Tea in 2026: functional infusions and cold brew reshape the market

The global tea market is finding a new footing in 2026 by leaning on functional benefits and convenient formats, according to industry analysis. Tea is gradually shifting from a relaxation drink into a product associated with health and wellbeing.

The most visible trend is the growth of herbal teas with functional ingredients such as adaptogens, ginger, turmeric, mint or ashwagandha, marketed for natural energy, digestion or emotional balance. In parallel, cold brew tea and ready-to-drink options are gaining ground, especially among younger consumers, thanks to a less bitter taste and portability.

Producers are also investing in sustainable packaging, premium loose-leaf teas and a more personalised experience, as younger drinkers move away from classic black tea in favour of herbal alternatives.

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Source: Beverage Industry

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A New ‘Women in Tea’ Award for the Global Tea Industry

The UK Tea Academy and the Women in Tea & Coffee Conference, run by Tea & Coffee Trade Journal, announced on 27 August 2026 the launch of a new award — the Women in Tea Award — within the international Leafies competition. The recognition honours women who show leadership, innovation or a commitment to empowering others at any stage of the tea chain: growing, production, sourcing, education, retail and hospitality.

The announcement coincides with 2026, designated by the UN as the International Year of the Woman Farmer. According to UK Tea Academy director Jennifer Wood, statistics show the significant contribution women make at every stage of the industry. The Leafies, launched in 2022 with Fortnum & Mason, has become one of the sector’s most prestigious competitions, with some winning teas going to the Rare Tea Counter at the London store.

Source: Tea & Coffee Trade Journal

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Global Matcha Demand Hits Record Highs and Strains Production in Japan

Global matcha consumption keeps growing rapidly in 2026, driven by the spread of specialty cafes across the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Asia, where the green tea powder has become a standard menu item used in lattes, cold drinks and wellness products.

The boom has put serious pressure on supply. In Japan, first-harvest tencha auctions in Kyoto have recorded average prices roughly 169% higher than the previous year, while exports have hit record levels. Authorities in Tokyo have announced support for expanding cultivated acreage, while traders warn that the shortage of ceremonial-grade matcha could persist.

Analysts expect high prices to encourage new plantings, as well as more blends that combine matcha with other green teas.

Source: Forbes

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Australian Tea Brand East Forged Beats Coca-Cola and PepsiCo at a Global Innovation Award

Australian company East Forged, maker of nitrogen-infused cold-brew tea, has been named winner of the Best Drink Innovation award at the 2026 World Food Innovation Awards in London, beating out entries submitted by giants including The Coca-Cola Company and PepsiCo. The award was chosen from more than 100 entries across 28 countries.

Founded in 2020 by tea industry veterans Kym Cooper and Tania Stacey, East Forged brews whole tea leaves for up to 12 hours before infusing the drink with nitrogen during canning — a technique borrowed from craft beer that creates a creamy texture and a foamy head, with no added sugar, colors or artificial flavors. Judges praised how the brand achieved a distinctive texture purely through its brewing method rather than additives.

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Source: Food & Beverage Industry News

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The Republic of Tea Wins 2026 NEXTY Award for Regenerative Organic Assam Black Tea

The Republic of Tea received an Editor’s Choice award at the 2026 NEXTY Awards, hosted by New Hope Network at Natural Products Expo West, for its Regenerative Organic Certified® Assam black tea. The product was also a finalist in the “People-Forward Product” category, a recognition that highlights both soil and environmental stewardship and fair treatment of the workers who harvest the leaf. The tea is sourced from the Chardwar Tea Estate in Assam, northeastern India, and delivers a malty flavor profile with a rich amber liquor and a smooth finish. The ROC certification, granted by the Regenerative Organic Alliance, covers a holistic set of standards spanning soil health, animal welfare, and fairness for farmers and workers — an increasingly relevant signal for consumers seeking traceability and sustainable practices in the tea industry.

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Source: The Republic of Tea

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Matchaful Opens a ‘Ritual Bar’ Dedicated to Japanese Tea Ceremony in Brooklyn

American matcha brand Matchaful has opened an unusual new space in Brooklyn’s Williamsburg neighborhood called the Ritual Bar — an eight-seat venue designed solely to introduce guests to the art of Japanese tea.

Visitors can book guided tastings, workshops and traditional whisking ceremonies in advance; when no sessions are scheduled, the space is open to walk-ins Wednesday through Sunday.

Matchaful sources single-origin ceremonial matcha organically grown in Japan’s Shizuoka region, ground to order and independently tested for purity. A standout feature is the glass-walled grinding room, where customers can watch the traditional stone-milling technique used to turn tencha leaves into matcha.

The launch arrives amid a global matcha boom, at a moment when demand frequently outpaces the supply of premium leaf.

Source: Wallpaper*