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The United States is culture, with passionate tea lovers enjoying ev-
The United States is home to a vibrant tea
not the first place that erything from traditional English Breakfast Tea

comes to mind, when we to exotic herbal blends. While most of the tea
consumed in the US is imported, there is a grow-
think of tea cultivation. ing movement of American tea growers and
producers who are dedicated to cultivating and
But it turns out that producing high-quality teas right here in the
States. The possibility to grow tea is limited by
tea has a long and the climate, which needs to be warm and humid.
The Camellia sinensis plants that are used to
interesting history in the make all types of tea grow best in warm weather
with lots of rainfall.
However, there are many states with a small
U.S. that goes beyond number of experimental tea gardens, including
consumption. New Jersey, Alabama, California, Florida, Geor-
gia, Hawaii, Maryland, Michigan, Mississippi,
North Carolina, Oregon, New York and Virginia.
South Carolina’s climate is particularly ideal for
tea cultivation. Though very little tea is actual-
ly grown in the United States today, tea has been
consumed here since the early days of colonial
settlement. Evidently, the United States is not
the first place that comes to mind when we think
of tea cultivation. But it turns out that tea has a but it remains most popular in the south. Sweet Tea Cultivation Challenges in the Unit-
long and interesting history in the U.S. that goes tea, as it’s called in the South, is made by steep- ed States
beyond consumption. ing tea bags in hot water and then adding sugar
to taste. Today, tea is once again becoming Despite the fact that tea has been consumed in
Tea Consumption in the United States popular in the United States because more and the United States for centuries, very little tea is ac-
more people are becoming interested in the tually grown here. The main reasons for this are 1)
The history of tea consumption in the Unit- health benefits of tea. Tea is rich in antioxidants high shelf prices, 2) high labor costs and 3) unfavor-
ed States dates back to the colonial era. Tea was and has been shown to have many other health able growing regions. Tea is typically grown in coun-
introduced to the colonies by British settlers in benefits. As a result, sales of tea have been tries with lower labor costs, such as India and Sri
the 1600s. At first, it was a luxury item that only growing in recent years. Aside from black tea, Lanka. This is because tea cultivation is a labor-in-
the wealthy could afford. But by the 1700s, tea which is the most popular type of tea in the tensive process. The leaves must be picked by hand,
drinking had become more widespread. During United States, green and herbal teas are also a and this is typically done by workers who are paid
the American Revolution, tea became a symbol preferred choice for many U.S. residents. very low wages. As a result, the cost of tea production
of British oppression. In 1773, the colonists According to a Tea Association of the Unit- is relatively low in these countries. But in the United
famously dumped crates of tea into Boston Har- ed States report, each day, over 159 million States, labor costs are much higher. This makes it
bor in protest of the high taxes imposed on them Americans drink tea. What’s more, Mintel’s difficult for U.S. tea growers because on the one hand,
by the British government. This event came to “Coffee and RTD Coffee 2021” report found that they have to charge high prices for their tea in order
be known as the “Boston Tea Party”. the young generation (Generation Z) consumes to make a profit, but on the other hand, U.S. consum-
After the Revolution, tea drinking declined the most amount of tea, with nearly one-third ers are used to paying relatively low prices for tea.
in popularity in the United States. This was due drinking it on a daily basis. Gen Xers (ages 30 This presents a challenge for the U.S. tea
in part to the fact that tea was still associated to 50), Baby Boomers (51 to 70), and Millennials growers who wish to market their product. Tea
with Britain and the colonial era. But it was also are all less likely to drink tea than Generation Z plants also require a warm, humid climate in order
because coffee became increasingly popular as was. The rise of other trends like RTD (Ready- to grow properly. Unfortunately, there are not many
an alternative drink. In the mid-1800s, iced tea To-Drink) beverages and kombucha have also regions in the United States that have these ideal
was introduced to the southern United States. contributed to the growing popularity of tea. The growing conditions. The southeastern United States
It quickly became a popular summertime bev- health benefits of tea, as well as the fact that it is one of the few regions where tea plants can be
erage, and it remains so to this day. Iced tea is can be enjoyed hot or cold, make it a beverage grown successfully. But even so, the possibility of
now consumed throughout the United States, that appeals to a wide range of people. crop failure is always a risk.

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