Due to the increasing working population and hectic schedules, the consumption of ready to drink (RTD) tea and coffee products has escalated significantly according to a research consultancy.
The report said consumers are increasingly preferring food and beverages that require minimum time to prepare and can be consumed on-the-go. The canned and bottled packaging of these beverages are also adding to the convenience of consumers, thereby increasing their overall demand.
RTD tea and coffee refers to pre-prepared packaged beverages that are ready for consumption at the time of purchase. Some of the commonly available RTD tea includes fruit, black, green, herbal, matcha, oolong and iced, and RTD coffee includes yerba mate, guarana, acai berry, ginseng, taurine and iced variants.
They are manufactured using various additives, extracts, preservatives, artificial and natural sweeteners, flavours, acidulants and nutraceuticals. These products are usually fortified with essential vitamins and minerals and are a rich source of antioxidants. For instance, RTD green tea is infused with catechin, and black coffee is enriched with vitamin B, potassium, magnesium, polyphenols and caffeine.
They are widely served in cans, glass bottles, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles and aseptic cartons. In comparison to the conventionally used beverage mixes, powders or brew-it-yourself tea or coffee products, RTD tea and coffee offer various health benefits and enhanced convenience to the consumers.
Changing lifestyles, increasing expenditure capacities and shifting dietary preferences of consumers are providing a thrust to the market growth.
Hotels, cafes and quick serving restaurant (QSR) chains are offering a wide variety of RTD beverages to their customers. They are also used as recreational products to attract the younger population seeking a healthier alternative to carbonated drinks that have high sugar content.
