Innovations on the Tea Market in the Face of the Observed Megatrends in Consumption

Abstract

The tea market is one of the largest markets in the global economy, and tea is the second most frequently consumed beverage, after water. The aim of the article is to present product innovations observed on the global tea market against the background of identified megatrends in consumption, affecting both tea producers and sellers, as well as consumers of this drink. The article contains theoretical considerations supported by the analysis of source materials. It presents the main megatrends influencing the behaviour of tea market entities. It also describes the reactions of tea producers and sellers to the needs and preferences of consumers determined by the identified megatrends. The analysis of the collected data allowed us to conclude that the main megatrends determining consumer behaviour on the tea market are as follows: wellness pragmatists, greenwashed out, delightful distractions, progressively polarized, decarbonisation, work and life unbounded, climate changers, outlook for the great life refresh and rural urbanites. Tea producers and sellers, in order to meet the needs and preferences of consumers determined by these megatrends, will have to introduce to the market a number of innovations regarding both the core of the product and other elements of its structure. In line with consumer expectations, tea products should be comfortable to use, enabling the consumer to have fun and expand their experience, and environmentally-friendly. This article contributes to the development of the theory of consumer behaviour and contains a number of implications for practitioners whose area of activity is the tea market. K e y w o r d s: innovations, product innovations, megatrends in consumption, consumer behaviour, tea market.

Full text

Coffee & Tea Marketing Journal, Vol. 1, No. 1 (2024)
43
Grzegorz Maciejewski
University of Economics in Katowice (Poland, 0000-0002-1318-0747)
Sylwia Mokrysz
Coffee and Tea Market Reseach Institute (Poland, 0009-0001-4051-5928)
Pavol Kita
Comenius University in Bratislava (Slovakia, 0000-0001-5870-9328)
Innovations on the Tea Market in the Face
of the Observed Megatrends
in Consumption
A B S T R A C T
The tea market is one of the largest markets in the global economy, and tea is the second most fre-
quently consumed beverage, after water. The aim of the article is to present product innovations ob-
served on the global tea market against the background of identified megatrends in consumption, af-
fecting both tea producers and sellers, as well as consumers of this drink. The article contains theoretical
considerations supported by the analysis of source materials. It presents the main megatrends influen-
cing the behaviour of tea market entities. It also describes the reactions of tea producers and sellers to
the needs and preferences of consumers determined by the identified megatrends. The analysis of the
collected data allowed us to conclude that the main megatrends determining consumer behaviour on
the tea market are as follows: wellness pragmatists, greenwashed out, delightful distractions, progres-
sively polarized, decarbonisation, work and life unbounded, climate changers, outlook for the great life
refresh and rural urbanites. Tea producers and sellers, in order to meet the needs and preferences of
consumers determined by these megatrends, will have to introduce to the market a number of innova-
tions regarding both the core of the product and other elements of its structure. In line with consumer
expectations, tea products should be comfortable to use, enabling the consumer to have fun and ex-
pand their experience, and environmentally-friendly. This article contributes to the development of the
theory of consumer behaviour and contains a number of implications for practitioners whose area of
activity is the tea market.
K e y w o r d s: innovations, product innovations, megatrends in consumption, consumer behaviour,
tea market.
J E L C l a s s I f i c a t i o n: D12, L66, M31, O32.
Paper received: 17 February 2024 • Paper revised: 10 June 2024 • Paper accepted: 15 June 2024

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Coffee & Tea Market Research Institute
Introduction
Innovation is the most valuable attribute of a
free market economy. It determines its stren-
gth and ability to overcome crises. The Latin
source of this concept – innovatio means the
introduction of something new, a newly intro-
duced thing, a reform, novelty (Nowacki &
Staniewski, 2010, p.15). The classic Schum-
peterian approach to innovation associates it
with a new product, new technology, new
market or new organisation of production and
sales. Thanks to innovation, it becomes po-
ssible for enterprises to move forward, which
means gaining a competitive advantage (Bo-
rusiak, 2011, p. 111). Enterprises that want to
win their future must break the boundaries of
current competition and delight their custo-
mers with innovations (Kabukcu, 2015).
Reading consumer needs is helped by the
analysis of megatrends observed in consum-
ption (Kita et al., 2022; de Monteton & Mar-
greiter, 2023; Wróblewski & Mokrysz, 2017;
2018; Wróblewski et. al., 2019). A good
example of following megatrends are com-
panies operating on the tea market. Tea is the
second most popular drink in the world, after
water. Estimates indicate that as many as 3
billion cups of it are drunk a day globally (Food
News, 2023). Even though tea as a drink has
been known for centuries, both tea producers
and sellers continue to strive to make their
products attractive to subsequent generations
of consumers. Accor-ding to the Pinterest
trends report in 2022, the most frequently
searched terms included: “tea party aesthetics”,
“vintage tea party”, “butterfly pea tea” and “tea
ideas”. On social media platforms like TikTok,
Instagram and Facebook, videos with tea
drinks from around the world were very
popular, e.g. blue-violet Butterfly Pea Tea from
Kenya, bubble tea from Taiwan or matcha from
Japan (Pinterest Predicts, 2024).
The aim of this article is to present product
innovations present on the global tea market
against the background of identified mega-
trends in consumption, affecting both tea pro-
ducers and sellers, as well as consumers of this
drink. The article contains theoretical consi-
derations, supported by the analysis of data
from secondary sources. The area of obser-
vations made are entities operating on the tea
market.
The article is organised as follows: in the
literature review section, the concepts of
innovation and product innovation as well as
consumer trends and megatrends are defined.
The global tea market is also briefly charac-
terised. Subsequently, in the materials and
methods section, the source materials and
methods of their analysis are presented. The
results and discussion section presents a
description of product innovations currently
observed on the tea market, which are the
response of tea producers and sellers to the
most dynamically developing megatrends in
consumption. The manuscript ends with con-
clusions from the analyses and discussion of
the results.
The conclusions drawn from the presented
material do not fully exhaust the topic, but they
may constitute a voice in the discussion on the
observed changes taking place in consumer
behaviour itself, as well as in B2C relationships
(Conrad, 2022). The presented data may also
be useful to companies producing and selling
tea in the process of building their competitive
advantage based on lasting relationships with

Coffee & Tea Marketing Journal, Vol. 1, No. 1 (2024)
45
consumers. The information presented in this
article is not of a commercial nature and has
been prepared in the spirit of an open model of
scientific communication.
Literature review
Innovations and product innovations
The term “innovation” in the literature on the
subject has many meanings, referring both to
the act of introducing innovations and giving
newness to various phenomena, including
products, by people who perceive them as new.
Therefore, “innovation” is considered an inter-
disciplinary category, described and analysed
from many perspectives, which can be consid-
ered both broadly and narrowly (Hermunds-
dottir & Aspelund, 2021). Represen-tatives of
the broad approach include, among others: J.A.
Schumpeter and P.F. Drucker. In a narrow
sense, innovation is defined by such authors as:
Ch. Freeman, C.F. Carter, B.R. Williams, J. Mu-
jżel, B. Gruchman, most often referring innova-
tions to technical changes, ignoring their proc-
ess, organisational or marketing aspects (Ku-
charska, 2014). The pioneer of this category,
J.A. Schumpeter, considered the introduction of
a new solution into practice as an innovation.
Schumpeter's innovations are absolute (inven-
tions which are introduced for the first time on
any global market) and require outstanding
individuals and risk-bearing (Rudzewicz &
Strychalska-Rudzewicz, 2013). Replicating the
introduced solution is only imitating and copy-
ing the innovation. According to Schumpeter,
consu-mers play a passive role in economic
development, including innovation. The vast
majority of changes in the structure of con-
sumer products and services are forced by
producers on consumers, who often resist
changes and had to be convinced to change. In
turn, Drucker emphasise the great importance
of marketing in the innovative activities of en-
terprises, which cannot be carried out in isola-
tion from the needs of the consumer. Drucker
defines innovation as any novelty that is new to
the user – consumer (Drucker, 2004, p. 38-39).
For Drucker, inno-vation is not only conceptual,
but also perceptual. The idea may have existed
for a long time, what matters is that it is per-
ceived as new. The innovation process includes
identi-fying consumer needs and creating and
pro-viding them with a new product that brings
value or benefit not yet offered on a given mar-
ket (Kotler et al., 2002, p. 662). Innovation is
therefore a new solution that offers values to
consumers (result approach to innovation), as
well as the process of creating new and better
solutions to consumers' problems (functional
approach) (Kucharska, 2014, p. 20).
Schumpeterian and Druckerian approaches
can be treated as two poles of the concept of
innovation. While Schumpeter precisely defines
situations in which absolute innovations can
arise, Drucker defines innovation as the delib-
erate search for opportunities to intro-duce
new things (Romanowski, 2011). Both ap-
proaches are included in the Oslo Manual,
which contains a set of concepts applicable to
the European Union's innovation policy. Ac-
cording to the Oslo Manual, innovation is “the
implementation of a new or significantly im-
proved product (goods or service) or process, a
new marketing method or a new organisational
method in economic practice, workplace or-
ganisation or relations with the environment”
(OECD & Eurostat, 2008, p. 48). The presented

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Coffee & Tea Market Research Institute
definition allows for the distin-ction of innova-
tion by subject into: pro-duct, process, market-
ing and organisational innovation.
Due to the topic of the presented article, the
concept of product innovation requires expla-
nation. According to the Oslo Manual 2018, it is
“a new or improved product or service that
differs significantly from the enterprise's exist-
ing products or services and that has been in-
troduced to the market.” As the authors of the
Manual write, product innovations must pri-
marily provide a significant improvement in
one or more properties or performance specifi-
cations. This should include the addition of new
functions or improvements to existing or new
utilities for the user or consumer. The relevant
functional characteristics in this case are qual-
ity, technical specifications, reliability, durabil-
ity, economy in use, affordability, comfort, us-
ability and user/consumer friendliness. Impor-
tantly, product innovations do not have to in-
volve improving all functions and performance
specifications. Improving or adding a new fea-
ture may result in the loss of other features or
loss of performance in some respects. (OECD &
UE, 2020, p. 79).
Macro trends in consumption and their
sources
In the literature on the subject, the concept of
trend has been present since the mid-20th cen-
tury, finding its place first in mathematical and
economic sciences to determine changes in
graphs and sequences of numbers, and then in
sociological sciences and marketing to describe
changes in culture, world views and lifestyles
(Raymond, 2014, p. 14). Ph. Kotler defines a
trend as “a direction or series of events chara-
cterized by a certain momentum and persi-
stence” (2005, p. 159). B. Mróz defines a trend
as “changes occurring over time in social or
market phenomena, the direction of which can
be measured using specific indicators, meas-
urement scales or indices” (2013, p. 115-116).
In turn, T. Zalega understands the term trend to
mean the current direction of development in a
given field or, in a more general sense, a mono-
tonic component of the dependence of the ex-
amined feature on time (2013, p. 3-4). Trends
may therefore be short- or long-term in nature,
and in terms of their scope: global (mega-
trends) or regional (microtrends). The specific
features of trends are variability, co-occurrence
(mutual overlap) and divergence (simultane-
ous emergence of trends and counter-trends)
(Tkaczyk, 2012; Dybka, 2017).
Ph. Kotler divides trends according to their
durability, dividing them into temporary fash-
ion, trends and megatrends. He defines tempo-
rary fashion as an unpredictable, short-term
change without any major economic, social or
political significance. According to Ph. Kotler,
trends and megatrends are more durable and
easier to predict. A trend outlines the shape of
the future, it is a long-term phenol-menon, ob-
servable in the behaviour of consumers and
enterprises in many markets (Wróblewski,
2018). The emergence and development of a
trend is confirmed by reliable values of eco-
nomic, social and demographic indicators ap-
pearing at the same time (Kotler, 2005). Mega-
trends, in turn, are undoubtedly related to
globalisation (Maciaszczyk, 2016, p. 162). Ac-
cording to J. Naisbitt, megatrends identify all
socio-economic or structural processes which
are formed slowly, but once they appear, they
influence all areas of life for some time (Ga-
jewski, Paprocki & Pieriegud ed., 2015, p. 15).
Moreover, megatrends can influence every in-
dividual and can change and shape the future of

Coffee & Tea Marketing Journal, Vol. 1, No. 1 (2024)
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the entire world (Zmyslony & Niezgoda, 2003,
p. 194). The concept of megatrend can also be
defined as certain unchanging economic, social,
political and cultural tendencies, as well as
phenomena emerging in the process of civilisa-
tional deve-lopment of society, having various
conditions and covering the entire world, de-
termining the key goals and directions of hu-
man development and leaving their mark on
the environment (Borodako, 2009, p. 90).
Megatrends therefore identify sets of certain
economic, social or environmental patterns of
behaviour that change the way people live and
the products these people need (Hajkowicz &
Moody, 2010, p. 2). Referring to the work “The
impact of megatrends on western govern-
ments” by futurologist F. de Meyer, megatrends
can be presented as long-lasting, quickly
spreading trends, strongly influencing society
in many dimensions and evoking the belief in
their inevitability (de Meyer, 2011).
In order to fully present what trends in con-
sumer behaviour are, it is also worth referring
to the views of H. Vejlgaard, who deals with the
practice of trend forecasting. This researcher
defines a trend as a process of change that is
perceived from a psychological, economic or
sociological perspective, which may be short-
or long-term and regional or global in scope
(Vejlgaard, 2008, p. 9). Adopting this point of
view, one can agree with T. Zalega that “a trend
in consumer behaviour is under-stood as a spe-
cific direction of change in the lifestyle of a
model consumer, acting in an objective manner,
i.e. regardless of their will and awareness”
(Zalega, 2015, p. 80). Looking at the analysed
issue from the perspective of Ph. Kotler, it can
be concluded that trends in the sphere of con-
sumption arise as a result of the impact on the
purchasing behaviour of consumers of the
broadly understood enviro-nment (social, eco-
nomic, legal, political, demographic and techno-
logical), which in turn influences changes in
their consumption patterns (see e.g. Kotler et
al., 2002; Kucharska et. al, 2015 ).
According to F. Shaw, emerging consumer
trends influence the way enterprises operate,
thus creating new rules for the functioning of
modern organisations (Shaw, 2002). The effect
of the impact of new consumer trends on en-
terprises is therefore changes in the behaviour
of these entities, which, on the one hand, try to
keep up with the changing consumer, and, on
the other hand, begin to shape their behaviour,
preferences and choices. In the latter situation,
we can talk about companies creating product
trends (Maciejewski & Mokrysz, 2019).
For marketing-oriented companies, it is cru-
cial to observe those trends which have the
greatest impact on consumer behaviour, i.e. the
macrotrends. Macrotrends in consumption are
considered to be significant social, economic,
political and technological changes that de-
velop slowly, but once they occur, they influ-
ence consumer behaviour for several or even
10-20 years (Aburdene, 2007). They have many
sources, so it is often easier for resear-chers to
identify emerging macrotrends than to investi-
gate the conditions which cause their emer-
gence. Nevertheless, at least several key factors
can be identified, such as the digital revolution,
changes in the employment structure, changing
role of women in society, changes in the level
and distribution of income among the popula-
tion, the growing number of consumers, the
increasing level of consumer awareness and
knowledge, and the dynamic development of
transport (Maciejewski, 2013).

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Global tea market
FAO data on global tea production in 2021 says
it increased to 6.5 million tonnes from 6.3 mil-
lion tonnes in 2020 (FAO, 2022). According to
the website Czasnaherbate.net, all tea planta-
tions in the world cover approximately 4.5 mil-
lion hectares. The average annual yield from
each hectare is less than 1.5 tonnes of dry leaf
matter. If we compared the area of tea cultiva-
tion to the area of the country, it would be the
130th largest country, behind Estonia (45,200
km2) and ahead of Denmark (43,000 km2).
This area is larger than e.g. the area of Switzer-
land (41,300 km2), Moldova (33,900 km2) or
Albania (28,700 km2) (Food News, 2023). At
the same time, an analysis created by Market
Hub estimates that by 2025 the value of tea
production will reach 7.4 million tonnes. In
terms of value, the global tea market in 2022
reached USD 220.7 billion and according to
Statista Consumer Market Insights forecasts, it
will increase to USD 268.5 billion by 2025.
Tea production in the world is concentrated
primarily in Asia, although there is no shortage
of enthusiasts of this drink in other parts of the
world. The largest tea producer at the begin-
ning of the third decade of the 21st century was
China, producing as much as 3.1 million tonnes,
with a 47% share in the world market. Esti-
mates show that tea production in China is ex-
pected to almost double by the end of this dec-
ade, driven by increased sector productivity.
Second place is occupied by India, which pro-
duced 1.33 million tons, and third place –
Kenya with 0.54 million tons. Other countries
important in tea production are Sri Lanka, Tur-
key, Indonesia, Vietnam, Japan, Iran and Argen-
tina. According to forecasts, the production of
black tea between 2025 and 2030 is expected
to grow by an average annual rate of 2.1%, and
green tea by as much as 6.3% (Food News,
2023).
This huge and dynamically developing mar-
ket includes not only the hot drinks segment,
but also iced teas and ready-to-drink tea
drinks. Tea is the second most frequently con-
sumed drink in the world, after water (Kucia,
2024).
Materials and research methods
The source base of the article are research re-
sults on observed megatrends in consumption,
consumer behaviour and product innovations
on the global tea market conducted by re-
nowned research agencies and consulting com-
panies in the years 2020 - 2024.
The innovations are described against the
background of the observed megatrends and
those megatrends in consumption which are
expected to influence the global consumer
population in the coming years. In order to cha-
racterise these trends, materials from the re-
search agency Mintel Group Ltd (MG), research
by the consulting company Ernst & Yuong (EY)
and data from the research agency Euromoni-
tor International (EI) were used. MG's research
covered the entire global tea market divided
into Europe, the Middle East and Africa
(EMEA), Asia and the Pacific (APAC) and North
and South America (Americas). The reports
were prepared in 2021-2022 (Dahn, 2021;
Kaczorowski, 2022). The data presented by EY
result from the analyses based on literature
sources and primary research conducted in
renowned scientific and research centres from
around the world (EYGM, 2020). Meanwhile, EI

Coffee & Tea Marketing Journal, Vol. 1, No. 1 (2024)
49
data on the top global consumer trends that
may have the greatest impact on consumer
behaviour in 2022 and subsequent years were
obtained as a result of quantitative direct re-
search conducted by 15 regional offices of the
company operating in 100 countries around
the world. EI research results present the state
of the market as of January 2022 (Angus &
Westbrook, 2022) and February 2024 (Grigoje-
vaite et al., 2024).
The collected data made it possible to cha-
racterise the main innovations introduced to
the tea market and to analyse the impact of
megatrends and new trends in consumption on
consumer behaviour in this market.
Research for the purposes of this study was
carried out using the desk research method,
and logical inference methods and the compar-
ative method were used to analyse the data. A
descriptive and tabular form was used to
present the obtained research results.
Results and discussion
Presenting the results of the conducted ana-
lyses, it can be noted that tea consumers have a
wide variety of preferences in terms of the
taste of teas offered on the market, their health-
promoting properties and the convenience of
preparation and consumption. It also happens
that tea producers and sellers are faced with
the task of meeting contradictory needs at the
same time. An example here is consumer ex-
pectations in terms of convenience, while main-
taining the principles of sustainable develop-
ment and fair trade. This disconnect is particu-
larly visible in the EMEA region. Such consumer
behaviour is influenced e.g. by the following
macrotrends: decarbonization (EYGM, 2020) or
greenwashed out (Grigojevaite et al., 2024).
Consumers are trying to be ecologically re-
sponsible and take pro-environmental actions,
but at the same time they are tired of it. In
APAC countries, tea consumers expect produc-
ers, in addition to convenience and speed of
preparation, to reduce the sugar content in the
tea drinks they offer. Americas consumers are
primarily looking for teas which support their
immune systems and at the same time enjoy
new flavours and colours. This region of the
global tea market seems to be the most open to
innovation. Consumers want to expand their
tea horizons with new, niche and innovative tea
flavours as well as unconventional combina-
tions and hybrids.
Developing the presented threads, it can be
concluded that the expectations in the area of
functionality concern primarily the beneficial
impact of tea drinks on human health and well-
being. Tea is supposed to reduce stress and
negative emotions. It is supposed to add energy
and strengthen the immune and digestive sys-
tems. It is supposed to be rich in antioxidants
and maintain healthy skin and hair. Mintel re-
search shows that as many as 46% of adult tea
consumers from the USA are interested in tea
which supports immunity (Kaczorowski, 2022).
Innovations in this area lead to the enrichment
of tea mixtures with ingredients commonly
considered health-promoting and medicinal
(ginger, echinacea, turmeric, licorice, vitamins,
probiotics). When reaching for a cup of tea,
consumers expect that it will not only be bene-
ficial to their physical health, but also to their
mental health. Such expectations include e.g.
every second resident of Brazil, looking for
products that reduce stress and tension caused
by the possibility of a return of the pandemic,

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Coffee & Tea Market Research Institute
climate change or rising inflation (Kaczorowski,
2022). Consumers expect tea drinks to also
reduce anxiety, facilitate falling asleep and
support the proper functioning of the brain.
The aforementioned expectations are primarily
in line with the macrotrend of wellness prag-
matists (Grigojevaite et al., 2024). Consumers
expect simple, accessible solutions which ena-
ble them to take independent, effective care of
their health and beauty. In response, such
products as immunological teas strengthening
immunity (Brazil), calming wellness teas (Costa
Rica) and cognitive health teas with omega-3
acid (Colombia) have already appeared on the
South American market.
Comfort should go hand in hand with func-
tionality. An example would be offering con-
sumers ready-to-drink teas rich in health-pro-
moting ingredients, without the need to pre-
pare multi-ingredient mixtures and long brew-
ing. Innovative packaging dedicated to tea
drinks can help meet this expectation. These
packaging, as well as the tea products them-
selves, must also meet the requirements of bio-
degradability and compostability. More and
more consumers in the market are showing
interest in tea that is produced and supplied in
an ethical and sustainable way. These expecta-
tions are particularly visible in the segments of
young consumers involved in ecology and envi-
ronmental protection, for whom equality and
respect for human rights are basic values. Such
consumer attitudes are influenced by the pro-
gressively polarised macrotrend (Grigojevaite
et al., 2024). Thanks to social media and the
dynamic development of transport, the world
has shrunk to the size of a global village. It is
easier for people to fight for their values and
engage in various ideas, including those aimed
at protecting the climate and the environment.
Tea producers must therefore look for innova-
tive solutions also in the area of eliminating
plastics in tea packaging and tea bags (Dahn,
2021). According to Mintel research, 75% of
adult Germans agree with the statement that
using biodegradable tea bags is a good way to
reduce the amount of plastic waste (Kaczo-
rowski, 2022), and 67% of residents of the
United Kingdom have a similar opinion (Dahn,
2021). Involvement in these areas may allow
tea producers and sellers to acquire many new
customers and retain existing ones. It is also
part of the climate changers macrotrend push-
ing ecological activism and a low-emission life-
style. In order to attract the segment of climate
change apologists, tea producers and sellers
should offer carbon footprint certified prod-
ucts. Transparent labelling of carbon neutral
products builds trust and enables consumers to
make informed choices (Angus & Westbrook,
2022). It is also gaining recognition among
supporters of the previously mentioned decar-
bonisation megatrend.
Convenience also means, or rather primar-
ily, minimising the time of brewing tea. Innova-
tions are therefore expected in instant and
ready-to-drink teas which can be quickly pre-
pared and consumed on the go. This type of
solutions is especially expected by Asian resi-
dents, for whom the ease of consuming the
drink, the speed of its preparation and conve-
nient packaging, good for use on the go, are
very important. Packaging which allows the
consumer to heat tea in a microwave oven is
also well received. An even better solution may
be self-heating cups or instant tea bottles into
which you can pour hot or cold water, de-
pending on your preferences. A convenient,
although not necessarily ecological solution is
instant tea in disposable packaging. These solu-

Coffee & Tea Marketing Journal, Vol. 1, No. 1 (2024)
51
tions can already be found on the Chinese mar-
ket. In this type of consumer behaviour, the
influence of the work and life unbounded ma-
crotrend can be seen (EYGM, 2020). The boun-
daries between study, work, recreation and
retirement are blurring. Consumers expect
products that will accompany them in all their
life activities, without absorbing them too
much.
A large part of consumers look for variety,
change, an extension of the range of flavours,
aromas and unconventional combinations, as
well as fun, in tea drinks. It is not required that
the tea be a classic tea. On the contrary, con-
sumers are increasingly interested in drinks
based on tea or in which tea is one of many
ingredients. An example is Blue Latte tea with
butterfly peas, offered in Japan and other parts
of Asia. This solution is an innovative idea by
Nescafe, offered in the form of capsules for
Nescafe Dolce Gusto coffee machines. Speaking
of capsules, they can also be biodegradable,
produced on the basis of plants without the use
of aluminum (Sweden). On the Australian mar-
ket you can find sets for bubble tea prepared in
a microwave oven, sets for milk tea with brown
sugar jelly and bubble tea sets with rubber
pearls. A desire for new and exciting teas also
characterises American consumers. Nearly
40% of U.S. adults who drink tea say they are
interested in discovering new teas. Nearly 30%
declare that they drink different types of tea to
achieve different benefits (Kaczorowski, 2022).
Consumers expect innovations in the field of
floral, fruit and vegetable aromas, as well as the
always popular herbal aromas. Openness to
new flavours means that more and more or-
ganic, semi-fermented oolong teas are drunk on
the American market (e.g. in Canada). On store
shelves in the USA you can also find white tea
with coconut or a hot drink with the flavour of
birthday cake. Sparkling botanical tea with
turmeric and saffron is intended to strengthen
the senses and provide physical and mental
regeneration. These behaviours include the
influence of the previously indicated mega-
trends: wellness pragmatists or work and life
unbounded, but above all, the macrotrend
known as delightful distractions (Grigojevaite
et al., 2024). Consumers want to be able to af-
ford moments of goodness, a bit of fun in their
often hectic and tense daily rhythm. They want
to stop, rest and de-stress. They want to live in
harmony with nature and surround themselves
with it, regardless of where they work or live,
which is so characteristic of the rural urbanites
megatrend. The calming and regenerative
properties of teas are also part of the great life
refresh macrotrend (Angus & Westbrook,
2022). Tea drinks should add energy to action,
pursuing passions and personal development
of tea consumers.
The high-sugar diet still practised by many
consumers is becoming a civilisation problem
which causes many dangerous diseases. Con-
scious consumers expect innovations to elimi-
nate or reduce sugar in tea drinks. More than
1/3 of adult Thai residents demand a reduction
in the sugar content in ready-to-drink (RTD)
teas (Kaczorowski, 2022), and nearly 30% of
adult Germans have a similar opinion (Dahn,
2021). The sugar content in tea drinks, espe-
cially RTD, should therefore be perceived as an
important purchase barrier. The expectation of
reducing sugar content is followed by the ex-
pectation of reducing calories, fats, preserva-
tives and artificial sweeteners, flavours and
colours.
In the case of markets with a hot climate
(Mexico, South America), innovations are ex-

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Coffee & Tea Market Research Institute
pected to quench thirst with cool tea drinks.
Peach and ginger infusions, passion fruit teas
prepared with cold mineral water, and instant
iced tea lime are now available.
When analysing the impact of megatrends
on consumer behaviour in the tea market, it is
difficult to forget about the recent COVID-19
pandemic caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. In
line with the macrotrend outlook for the great
life refresh (Angus & Westbrook, 2022), pro-
ducers and sellers of tea drinks should prepare
product innovations that can help consumers
overcome the turmoil related to the pandemic.
In many industries, companies operating in line
with this macrotrend are perceived by con-
sumers as partners helping to adapt to the
post-pandemic reality, as partners helping to
develop a new lifestyle.
Conclusions
The literature studies and analysis of available
direct research results allow for the following
final conclusion: the currently observed
changes in consumption do not have a uniform
direction and, like the entire human existence,
are subject to postmodern eclecticism. The
emergence of one trend causes the appearance
of one or more opposite, divergent, cancelling
or strengthening trends as a result of synergy.
Some trends are starting to lose their impor-
tance – some are gaining strength. Others, as
they fade away, become the basis for the emer-
gence of new, yet unknown ones.
The tea market, part of the larger food and
beverage market, is no exception. Consumer
behaviour is influenced by numerous mega-
trends, shaping their lifestyle and influencing
their purchasing decisions (Maciejewski,
2018). Enterprises wishing to strengthen their
competitiveness should not only observe the
trends that have the greatest impact on con-
sumer behaviour, but also take the initiative
and actively shape their preferences and choic-
es. This can be done by including consumers in
management processes to create unique value
together (Krowicki & Maciejewski, 2024). The
result of this cooperation may be product inno-
vations concerning both the core of the product
(basic benefit) and other elements of its struc-
ture (actual product, improved product, poten-
tial product).
The supply side's response to the reported
needs of consumers may include e.g. develop-
ing innovative variants of functional teas that
have a beneficial effect on human health and
well-being. Teas that lower stress and blood
sugar levels help you fall asleep, and improve
brain function. Consumer expectations towards
teas, however, do not end with their health-
promoting properties. Product innovations on
the tea market also include the development of
teas that are convenient to prepare and con-
sume. We are talking here primarily about in-
stant teas, teas that can be heated in microwave
ovens, teas in self-heating cups and disposable
packaging. Tea is also supposed to accompany
fun, relaxation and create good moments of the
day. It is intended to expand the horizons of
consumer experiences through non-obvious
combinations of flavours, aromas and colours.
It should surprise and invite you to adventure,
and allow you to define yourself anew. And all
this is to be done in harmony with nature and
sustainable development. Therefore, there are

Coffee & Tea Marketing Journal, Vol. 1, No. 1 (2024)
53
at least several important areas for product
innovations expected by tea consumers. These
are primarily functionality, comfort, fun and
expanding experiences, care for the environ-
ment and your own lifestyle.
The research results and conclusions pre-
sented in this article do not exhaust the topic.
The authors of the article hope that their con-
siderations will constitute an incentive for fur-
ther discussion on the forms of product innova-
tions that are developing on the global tea
market, as well as on the impact of current and
future macrotrends on consumer behaviour in
this market.
Author Contributions
Conceptualization, G.M.; methodology, S.M.; software, G.M.; validation, G.M., S.M.. and P.K.; formal analysis,
S.M. and PK; investigation, G.M.; resources, S.M.; data curation, S.M.; writing—original draft preparation, G.M.;
writing—review and editing, G.M., S.M.. and P.K.; visualization, G.M.; supervision, S.M. and P.K.; project admin-
istration, G.M. and S.M.; funding acquisition, S.M. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of
the manuscript.
Declaration of competing interest
There is no financial and personal relationships with other people or organizations that could inappropriately
influence (bias) our work.
Funding
The research was supported by MOKATE Group SA. However, the support provided did not have any impact
on the research results, the method of presenting the results or the conclusions reached.
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank MOKATE Group SA for their support and provided materials.
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Notes on contributors
Grzegorz Maciejewski holds a postdoctoral degree in Economic Sciences. He is a Professor at the University
of Economics in Katowice, and is Head of the Market and Consumption Department. He is Vice President and
Director for Research and Development of Coffee and Tea Market Research Institute, Editor-in-chief of a Cof-
fee and Tea Marketing Journal. He is a research projects manager at the Research and Development Center in
Katowice and the manager and contractor of six grants from the Ministry of Science and Higher Education. He
is an academic tutor. His scientific interests are mainly in the area of behavioural economics. He is the author
of over 170 articles in the areas of consumer behaviour, the marketing strategies of enterprises and market
and marketing research methodologies. Member of the Polish Society of Market and Opinion Researchers
(PTBRiO), the Polish Scientific Marketing Society (Member of Scientific Council), Polish Economic Society and
the PGV International Scientific Network.
e-mail: grzegorz.maciejewski@ue.katowice.pl
Sylwia Mokrysz is Proxy and member of the Management Board of Mokate SA in Ustroń. She has made LOYD
one of the top Polish tea brands and has led it to the forefront of many markets in Europe, Asia and Africa. She
has gained prestigious membership in the London Tea History Association for the Loyd bra nd. Thanks to her
efforts, the Minutka tea has become a domestic leader in its category. The competitive advantage of other
Mokate tea brands, such as Babcia Jagoda and the whole range of functional teas, is also her merit. She is

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known as an efficient and demanding organiser of pro-quality activities and a consistent initiator of product
innovations. The Mokate Group owes many distinctions, awards and prestigious titles to her. She holds a
doctoral degree in social sciences in the field of management and quality. Her scientific publications on mar-
keting strategies are characterised by the boldness of thought and a significant degree of usefulness in busi-
ness practice. She also engages in many initiatives outside her profession. She is an active participant of the
women’s entrepreneurship movement, both in Poland and worldwide.
e-mail: smokrysz@ctmri.eu
Pavol Kita is a Professor at Comenius University Bratislava and member of the Marketing Communication
Department and leads the scientific grants from the The Ministry of Education, Science, Research and Sport of
the Slovak Republic. He is responsible for study program Marketing Communication and works as an academ-
ic tutor, too. His scientific interests are mainly in the area of marketing, consumer behaviour an d business
models in food retailing. Member of the PGV International Scientific Network.
e-mail: pavol.kita@uniba.sk