Millennials drink and try the most tea in Canada

By 2020, tea purchases will more than double in the 19 to 37 age category alone, and most of those purchases will be of regular tea bag (94%) and loose leaf (61%) formats, which remains the most popular for Canadian consumers, according to the Tea and Herbal Association of Canada.

“Canada is a hot tea market and Canadian consumers are enjoying all types of tea​,” president of the Tea and Herbal Association of Canada, Louise Roberge, told BeverageDaily.

A flair for exotic, and allegiance for traditional tea​

The survey found there is still a demand for traditional flavors such as early grey and chamomile, which rank in the top five favorite flavors in a survey of Canadian consumers.

“Although it [tea] is part of tradition ­-- tea ceremonies, memories of drinking tea with mom and grandmother -- it is also very relevant and a modern way to discover the world,”​ Roberge said,

Research shows millennials are more likely to experiment with flavors and varieties of tea leaves with specialty tea accounting for 64.4% of total tea sales at roughly $145m.

Millennials are also likely to have nearly 11 different brands of tea in their pantry and 16 different types of tea, compared to the total tea drinker category which average between seven and eight brands of tea and eleven to twelve varieties of tea in their cupboards.

Convenience and affordability​

Although the millennial population may be the most financially constrained, many will justify tea purchases as an “affordable luxury”​ because of its compelling image as a healthy product, a report by Packaged Facts found.

The top associations millennials have of tea are its health benefits including relaxation, sleep/anxiety perks, and an ailment aid.

The convenience and simplicity of brewing tea is another major appeal that makes the hot beverage appealing to young adult consumers.

“All you need is to add hot water let is steep and drink easy as one, two, three,” ​Roberge said.