the tea market | Spain

1.1 Definition and scope of study

Tea, with 1.5 billion cups drunk every day, is the second most consumed beverage in the world after water. Established in China, introduced to Japan at the end of the 8th century and an integral part of British culture, tea also has a special place in Middle Eastern cultures. This global footprint of tea is reflected in the long list of countries in which tea is consumed.

Tea is a drink obtained from the leaves of the tea plant (about 200 species), infused in hot water. The types of teas are segmented by their colours (black, green, Oolong, yellow, white and post-fermented) which differ according to the treatment of the harvested leaves. Rooibos or "red tea" is actually an infusion obtained from the leaves of Aspalathus linearis, which is only found in South Africa, and not from the tea plant.

Consumption habits differ from country to country. In Spain, tea is not one of the beverages traditionally consumed, unlike coffee or hot chocolate. Indeed, for a long time, tea and herbal teas were strongly associated with health issues. Nevertheless, in recent years the country has experienced a boom in tea consumption, accompanied by a masculinization of the consumer base, which allows the market to gradually expand. Tea sales in value thus increased by +3.4% in Spain in 2019. The Spanish tea market, which is in a development phase, offers very promising prospects. [BarBusiness]