Coffee and tea are soaring to new heights. The former has replaced wine as the connoisseur’s drink of choice, according to Andrew Hetzel, President and Founder of Cafemakers, a Hawaii-based speciality coffee consultancy. And its place in the pecking order has been taken by tea, which the popular American food magazine Bon Appetit called the new coffee in January.
This newfound popularity comes from an increasing demand for personalised, individual drinks that set the consumer apart from the pack. A driving need to express individual taste, opinion and personal preference has led to consumers showing a remarkable awareness of different tea blends and single estate harvests, now available at coffee shops and gourmet supermarkets in the UAE.
Also contributing is a larger trend towards premiumisation. This has been caused by higher levels of disposable income, with luxury tea rooms such as TWG Tea Salon and Boutique in The Dubai Mall having turned drinking the beverage into something of a higher art form.
In fact, high tea is now seen as the new cocktail hour, elevated by hotels such as Raffles Dubai. Its The Collection — Fashion Afternoon Tea by Raffles doesn’t just sound like a high-end fashion brand, but the savouries and sweets served are inspired by designer collections straight off the runway — in both colour and style.
Talk about a storm in a teacup.
Leaves of gold take the world by storm
Tea is one of the hottest food trends to watch for, say global food experts. In this region, too, tea is the preferred beverage. Tina Chikhani, Marketing Director, Unilever North Africa and Middle East, says, “Tea has always been considered a traditional drink in the Middle East and consumed during family gatherings and social occasions. Today, tea has evolved in its variety and flavours, providing a wider offering to the consumers, resulting in an increase in individual drinking habits.”
The health factor
One of the drivers for increased consumption is the awareness of its health benefits. Michael Sorgenfrey, General Manager, The Palace Downtown Dubai, explains, “With an increased emphasis on health and well-being, we have begun providing more options in herbal teas, most of which are infused or created using herbs and spices.”
Stuart Sage, Executive Chef, At.mosphere Burj Khalifa, says, “The tea culture of Dubai has undergone an evolution. People want to experiment with new flavours and pair their meals with the tea they are consuming.”
Tea has sneaked its way into the corporate world with meetings held over steaming pots of the brew. Maranda Barnes, Director, Business Development and Communications, TWG Tea, says, “The ever-changing taste of consumers means that we need to continually seek special conditions, rare species, harvests and more imaginative combinations of varieties that have never been explored.” This Singapore export is a tea boutique that prides itself on educating the public about tea appreciation and tea culture, with plans to open a tea academy and museum.
Recognising the growing demand for premium teas, coffee giant Starbucks bought Teavana, a seller of high-end teas, for $620 million (about Dh2 billion) in its biggest takeover to date. Starbucks estimates the tea market at about $40 billion and growing.
Gastronomic delights
Tea is taking the culinary world by storm with tea-infused delicacies such as the foie gras terrine with toasted brioche and Sakura! Sakura! Tea jelly and summer quiche served with mixed greens tossed in 1837 Green Tea infused vinaigrette at TWG Salon.
