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Tea Production in the US - Market Research Report (2014-2029)

Federico Irigoyen Federico Irigoyen New York, United States Last Updated: June 2024 NAICS 31192b

Revenue

$1.3bn

2024

$1.3bn

Past 5-Year Growth

Profit

$XXX.Xm

Employees

3,003

Businesses

279

Wages

$XXX.Xm

Tea Production in the US industry analysis

Tea producers blend and package tea, excluding iced and ready-to-drink tea. It was common for tea to fall behind coffee; however, changes in consumer preferences have allowed tea producers to accelerate. Consumers are becoming more health-conscious, looking for alternatives to sugary drinks. Producers are leveraging these changes to promote the health benefits of tea and increase sales. These campaigns have proven successful, as the younger generations are becoming significantly more health-conscious, creating a larger customer pool. Although tea is growing in popularity, the COVID-19 pandemic, rising inflation and a strong US dollar have negatively impacted the industry. An appreciating US dollar increases the price of domestically produced tea compared with the price of foreign tea, lowering demand and hindering revenue growth. Similarly, growing inflation lowers consumers' purchasing power, forcing them to limit the products they purchase when grocery shopping. Industry-wide revenue has been shrinking at an average annualized 0.7% over the past five years and is expected to total $1.3 billion in 2024 when revenue will inch upward by an estimated 0.2%.

Trends and Insights

  • Increasingly health-conscious consumers support tea sales. Many people want to change their consumption of sugary drinks to healthier alternatives, such as tea.
  • Consumers looking for convenience purchase bagged teas. This has resulted in higher sales for bagged products as customers don’t have to strain the tea, find loose leaves on their tea or use a tea steeper.
  • Tea producers base operations in proximity to major trade ports. Most tea producers import their tea leaves; therefore, proximity to major ports allows producers to lower transportation costs.
  • Producers with strong relations and contracts get prime shelf space. Having contracts with grocery stores and supermarkets guarantees good product positioning around the store, increasing sales.

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  • Market estimates from 2014-2029
  • Critical performance data and rankings
  • Detailed analysis of competitive forces and the external environment
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Industry Statistics and Trends

Market size and recent performance (2014-2029)

Industry revenue has declined at a CAGR of 0.7 % over the past five years, to reach an estimated $1.3bn in 2024.

Trends and Insights

Perceived health benefits boost sales

  • The information available on the health benefits of tea consumption has increased sales as consumers are becoming more health-conscious.
  • Additional trends and insights available with purchase
Tea Production in the US
Revenue (2014-2029)
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry outlook (2024-2029)

Market size is projected to grow over the next five years.

Trends and Insights

Improving macroeconomic trends benefit the industry

  • The US dollar will devalue in the coming years, making domestically produced tea more affordable abroad and increasing demand. On the other hand, imports sold in the United States will increase in price, benefiting domestic producers.

Biggest companies in the Tea Production in the US

Company
Market Share (%)
2024
Revenue ($m)
2024
Profit ($m)
2024
Profit Margin (%)
2024
Unilever N V
534.3
90.9
17.0
Bigelow Tea Company
194.1
23.5
12.1
Starbucks Corporation
166.2
12.0
7.2

To view the market share and analysis for all 3 top companies in this industry, view purchase options.

Products & Services Segmentation

Tea Production in the US
Products & Services
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry revenue is measured across several distinct product and services lines, including Bagged black tea, Loose black tea and Bagged green tea. Bagged black tea is the largest segment of the Tea Production in the US.

Trends and Insights

Black tea is a prominent segment, but is losing momentum

  • Black tea, the most common type of tea, goes through a crushing and fermenting process before being sold.
  • More insights available in the full report

Table of Contents

About this industry

Industry definition

This industry comprises businesses that blend and package tea, excluding iced and ready-to-drink tea.

What's included in this industry?

Importing tea leavesTea leaf oxidationBlending teaPackaging tea

Companies

Unilever N VBigelow Tea CompanyStarbucks Corporation

Purchase this report to view all 3 major companies in this industry.

Related Terms

READY-TO-DRINK (RTD)OOLONGOXIDATIONUNITED STATES-MEXICO-CANADA AGREEMENT (USMCA)

Industry Code

NAICS 2017

NAICS 311920 - Tea Production in the US

Performance

Get an indication of the industry's health through historical, current and forward-looking trends in the performance indicators that make or break businesses.

Analyst insights

Increasingly health-conscious consumers support tea sales. Many people want to change their consumption of sugary drinks to healthier alternatives, such as tea.

In this chapter (4)

  • Current Performance
  • Outlook
  • Volatility
  • Life Cycle

Key metrics

  • Annual Revenue, Recent Growth, Forecast, Revenue Volatility
  • Number of Employees, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Employee
  • Number of Businesses, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Business
  • Total Profit, Profit Margin, Profit per Business

Charts

  • Revenue, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Employees, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Businesses, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Profit, including historical (2014-2024)
  • Industry Volatility vs. Revenue Growth
  • Industry Life Cycle

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in supply, demand and current events that are driving current industry performance
  • Expected trends, economic factors and ongoing events that drive the industry's outlook
  • Key success factors for businesses to overcome volatility
  • How contribution to GDP, industry saturation, innovation, consolidation, and technology and systems influence the industry's life cycle phase.

Products and Markets

Learn about an industry's products and services, markets and trends in international trade.

Analyst insight

Consumers looking for convenience purchase bagged teas. This has resulted in higher sales for bagged products as customers don’t have to strain the tea, find loose leaves on ...

In this chapter

  • Products & Services
  • Major Markets
  • International Trade

Key metrics

  • Largest market segment and value in 2024
  • Product innovation level
  • Total imports, level and trend
  • Total exports, level and trend
  • Trade Balance

Charts

  • Products & services segmentation in 2024
  • Major market segmentation in 2024
  • International trade, including imports by country and exports by country

Detailed analysis

  • Trends impacting the recent performance of the industry's various segments
  • Innovations in the industry's product or service offering, specialization or delivery method
  • Key factors that successful businesses consider in their offerings
  • Buying segments and key trends influencing demand for industry products and services
  • Recent trends in import and export volumes, country of origin or destination, and expected future trends

Geographic Breakdown

Discover where business activity is most concentrated in an industry and the factors driving these trends to find opportunities and conduct regional benchmarking.

Analyst insights

Tea producers base operations in proximity to major trade ports. Most tea producers import their tea leaves; therefore, proximity to major ports allows producers to lower tra...

In this chapter (1)

  • Business Locations

Charts

  • Share of revenue, establishment, wages and employment in each state
  • Share of population compared to establishments in each region in 2024

Tables

  • Number and share of establishments in each state in 2024
  • Number and share of revenue each state accounts for in 2024
  • Number and share of wages each state accounts for in 2024
  • Number and share of employees in each state in 2024

Detailed analysis

  • Geographic spread of the industry across North America, and trends associated with changes in the business landscape
  • Key success factors for businesses to use location to their advantage

Competitive Forces

Get data and insights on what's driving competition in an industry and the challenges industry operators and new entrants may face, with analysis built around Porter's Five Forces framework.

Analyst insights

Producers with strong relations and contracts get prime shelf space. Having contracts with grocery stores and supermarkets guarantees good product positioning around the stor...

In this chapter (4)

  • Concentration
  • Barriers to Entry
  • Substitutes
  • Buyer & Supplier Analysis

Key metrics

  • Industry concentration level
  • Industry competition level and trend
  • Barriers to entry level and trend
  • Substitutes level and trend
  • Buyer power level and trend
  • Supplier power level and trend

Charts

  • Market share concentration among the top 4 suppliers from 2019-2024
  • Supply chain including upstream supplying industries and downstream buying industries, flow chart

Detailed analysis

  • Factors impacting the industry’s level of concentration, such as business distribution, new entrants, or merger and acquisition activity.
  • Key success factors for businesses to manage the competitive environment of the industry.
  • Challenges that potential industry entrants face such as legal, start-up costs, differentiation, labor/capital intensity and capital expenses.
  • Key success factors for potential entrants to overcome barriers to entry.
  • Competitive threats from potential substitutes for the industry’s own products and services.
  • Key success factors for how successful businesses can compete with substitutes.
  • Advantages that buyers have to keep favorable purchasing conditions.
  • Advantages that suppliers have to maintain favorable selling conditions.
  • Key success factors for how businesses can navigate buyer and supplier power.

Companies

Learn about the performance of the top companies in the industry.

Analyst insights

Large producers work toward sustainability. Many companies are participating in decreasing their carbon footprint and adopting sustainable practices.

In this chapter

  • Market Share Concentration
  • Companies
  • Company Spotlights

Charts

  • Industry market share by company in 2020 through 2024
  • Major companies in the industry, including market share, revenue, profit and profit margin in 2024
  • Overview of Unilever N V's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024
  • Overview of Bigelow Tea Company's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024
  • Overview of Starbucks Corporation's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024

Detailed analysis

  • Description and key data for Unilever N V, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description and key data for Bigelow Tea Company, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description and key data for Starbucks Corporation, and factors influencing its performance in the industry

External Environment

Understand the demographic, economic and regulatory factors that shape how businesses in an industry perform.   

Analyst insights

Tariffs on Chinese products are a double-edged sword. Although the price of Chinese teas increased as a result of the tariffs, so did the price of tea leaves, increasing prod...

In this chapter

  • External Drivers
  • Regulation & Policy
  • Assistance

Key metrics

  • Regulation & policy level and trend
  • Assistance level and trend

Charts

  • Regulation & Policy historical data and forecast (2014-2029) 
  • Assistance historical data and forecast (2014-2029) 

Detailed analysis

  • Demographic and macroeconomic factors influencing the industry, including Regulation & Policy and Assistance
  • Major types of regulations, regulatory bodies, industry standards or specific regulations impacting requirements for industry operators
  • Key governmental and non-governmental groups or policies that may provide some relief for industry operators.

Financial Benchmarks

View average costs for industry operators and compare financial data against an industry's financial benchmarks over time. 

Analyst insights

An appreciating US dollar lowers input prices. Producers import most tea leaves. A strong US dollar makes imported inputs more affordable for domestic producers.

In this chapter

  • Cost Structure
  • Financial Ratios
  • Key Ratios

Key metrics

  • Profit margin, and how it compares to the sector-wide margin
  • Average wages, and how it compares to the sector-wide average wage
  • Largest cost component as a percentage of revenue
  • Industry average ratios for days' receivables, industry coverage and debt-to-net-worth ratio

Charts

  • Average industry operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2024
  • Average sector operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2024
  • Investment vs. share of economy

Data tables

  • Industry Multiples (2017-2022)
  • Industry Tax Structure (2017-2022)
  • Income Statement (2017-2022)
  • Balance Sheet (2017-2022)
  • Liquidity Ratios (2017-2022)
  • Coverage Ratios (2017-2022)
  • Leverage Ratios  (2017-2022)
  • Operating Ratios (2017-2022)
  • Cash Flow & Debt Service Ratios (2014-2029)
  • Revenue per Employee (2014-2029)
  • Revenue per Enterprise (2014-2029)
  • Employees per Establishment (2014-2029)
  • Employees per Enterprise (2014-2029)
  • Average Wage (2014-2029)
  • Wages/Revenue (2014-2029)
  • Establishments per Enterprise (2014-2029)
  • IVA/Revenue (2014-2029)
  • Imports/Demand (2014-2029)
  • Exports/Revenue (2014-2029)

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in the cost component for industry operators and their impact on industry costs and profitability 

Key Statistics

Industry Data

Data Tables

Including values and annual change:

  • Revenue (2014-2029)
  • IVA (2014-2029)
  • Establishments (2014-2029)
  • Enterprises (2014-2029)
  • Employment (2014-2029)
  • Exports (2014-2029)
  • Imports (2014-2029)
  • Wages (2014-2029)

Top Questions Answered

Unlock comprehensive answers and precise data upon purchase. View purchase options.

What is the market size of the Tea Production in the US industry in United States in 2024?

The market size of the Tea Production in the US industry in United States is $1.3bn in 2024.

How many businesses are there in the Tea Production in the US industry in 2024?

There are 279 businesses in the Tea Production in the US industry in United States, which has grown at a CAGR of 4.6 % between 2019 and 2024.

Has the Tea Production in the US industry in United States grown or declined over the past 5 years?

The market size of the Tea Production in the US industry in United States has been declining at a CAGR of 0.7 % between 2019 and 2024.

What is the forecast growth of the Tea Production in the US industry in United States over the next 5 years?

Over the next five years, the Tea Production in the US industry in United States is expected to grow.

What are the biggest companies in the Tea Production in the US market in United States?

The biggest companies operating in the Tea Production market in United States are Unilever N V, Bigelow Tea Company and Starbucks Corporation

What does the Tea Production in the US in United States include?

Importing tea leaves and Tea leaf oxidation are part of the Tea Production in the US industry.

Which companies have the highest market share in the Tea Production in the US in United States?

The company holding the most market share in United States is Unilever N V.

How competitive is the Tea Production in the US industry in United States?

The level of competition is moderate and increasing in the Tea Production in the US industry in United States.

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Methodology

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IBISWorld relies on human-verified data and human-written analysis to compile each standard industry report. We do not use generative AI tools to write insights, although members can choose to leverage AI-based tools within the platform to generate additional analysis formats.

What data sources do IBISWorld analysts use?

Each industry report incorporates data and research from government databases, industry-specific sources, industry contacts, and our own proprietary database of statistics and analysis to provide balanced, independent and accurate insights.

Key data sources in the US include: 

  • US Census Bureau
  • US Bureau of Labor Statistics
  • US International Trade Commission

Analysts also use industry specific sources to complement catch-all sources, although their perspective may focus on a particular organization or representative body, rather than a clear overview of all industry operations. However, when balanced against other perspectives, industry-specific sources provide insights into industry trends.

These sources include:

  • Industry and trade associations
  • Industry federations or regulators
  • Major industry players annual or quarterly filings

Finally, IBISWorld’s global data scientists maintain a proprietary database of macroeconomic and demand drivers, which our analysts use to help inform industry data and trends. They also maintain a database of statistics and analysis on thousands of industries, which has been built over our more than 50-year history and offers comprehensive insights into long-term trends.

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IBISWorld’s analysts and data scientists use the sources above to create forecasts for our proprietary datasets and industry statistics. Depending on the dataset, they may use regression analysis, multivariate analysis, time-series analysis or exponential smoothing techniques to project future data for the industry or driver. Additionally, analysts will leverage their local knowledge of industry operating and regulatory conditions to impart their best judgment on the forecast model.

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