A steamy hot cup of 'superherb' tea

The term ‘superfood’ has long been a staple in the lexicon of the health and wellness industry, but its herbal subdivision has been enjoying a particular rejuvenation in 2019 trends. Appropriately named ‘superherbs’, this group of plant substances are lauded for their bio-active, immune-boosting properties and natural healing power against stress and its consequent negative effects.

Given their health benefits and that they can be consumed in several ways, superherbs have unsurprisingly been promoted in food items, oils, beauty products and beverages. It’s within this last category that Teahouse Exclusives have been lending their expertise to develop a range of teas that utilise these special ingredients and their dynamic vitalising effects.

The brand, a division of the Hamburg-based company Market Grounds, stands for timeless classics as well as for on-trend tea concepts in line with today’s consumer’s needs. Just now, Teahouse Exclusives has been drawing on the healthy functionality from herbs such as rosemary and turmeric in their infusion, and will be presenting lots of these new combinations at the Europe and Middle East Coffee Symposium in Dubai in November.

As well as being fragrant and delicious, there is growing evidence to highlight rosemary’s benefits to memory performance and digestion health, whilst turmeric’s anti-inflammatory power cannot be understated. The burgeoning popularity in 2019 of hemp and CBD-based products has also not gone unnoticed by Teahouse Exclusives, harnessing the plant’s seemingly endless list of virtues.

As well as being an easy way to consume them, the process of tea-drinking itself is well aligned with the beneficial qualities of superherbs, Teahouse Exclusives asserts. This comes down to three main factors: drinking tea is a great way of staying hydrated, cosy and warm, particularly with the colder seasons looming; tea is an important part of a balanced diet, a sugar-free drink alternative and effective partnering with other healthy snacks such as nuts and seeds; lastly, taking time out to enjoy a cup of tea mindfully is important for recharging and staying present. “Wellness is consumed through drinks nowadays,” says the brand’s product development manager Kathrin Link, “consumers take time, sit down and simply enjoy their tea-time.”

Indeed, Allegra’s own Project Tea UK 2019 report found that industry professionals viewed healthier consumption as the leading trend in the UK affecting out-of-home tea drinking. Twinned with a wholesome and sophisticated taste, superherb teas look therefore to expand on alternatives to at-home tea consumption and push the beverage more comfortably into the limelight.

To learn more about Teahouse Exclusives’ range of superherb teas and how an active tea menu management in foodservice and retail can drive your beverage sales, make sure to catch them at the Market Grounds stand at the EMCS in Dubai, from 11-13 November.

For more information on Market Grounds please visit www.market-grounds.com/en

For more information on Project Tea UK report or any Allegra insight and industry news please visit www.worldcoffeeportal.com