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9 ways the pandemic influenced the tea industry

Posted by CTH Blog 05/16/2022 21:21:15 Tea News 0 Comments

Tea may be a product, but there’s a lot of work and effort behind a simple cup of tea. In facts, it’s far from just simple. The pandemic hit hard, restrictions even harder, and all of us eventually had to learn how to navigate this new pandemic and post pandemic world. Tea producers and vendors had to do the same. Many lives were affected, some from the virus directly, some indirectly because of many new regulations and restrictions.

So how did the Covid pandemic influence the tea industry? Was it all bad?

1. It forced many shops to close

The first major change happened because of the lockdown. Many brick and mortar shops were forced to close, at first temporarily, and some even permanently. Sitting in a favorite tea shop with a cup of tea and a book for almost 2 years sounded more like a Sci-Fi movie than a reality.

2. Tea sourcing problems

Tea sourcing in person became incredibly difficult. Visiting tea producing countries was suddenly a strenuous task, and at certain times, even impossible. Long quarantines cancelled flights and closed borders meant it was difficult to simply jump on a plane and do sourcing firsthand.

3. Tea shipping problems

The first year of the pandemic saw some incredible difficulties in tea supply chains, too. Steep increase in shipping costs and delayed shipments left many tea drinkers longing for their favorite tea. Many had to wait for months before certain teas became available again.

4. Quarantine meant no harvesting too

But not only the supply chain was affected. Quarantine and lockdowns meant that many tea workers could not harvest tea, which impacted some tea producing areas more than others [1]. The lockdown significantly affected specialty, rather than the mass market teas [2]. What are specialty teas? Artisanal, often smaller batch, teas with an accent on quality, rather than quantity.

Pandemic and tea industry

5. But people drink tea more than ever

Regardless of the difficulties, tea saw an increase in popularity. All those tea rituals and routines that were difficult to attain pre-pandemic – mostly because of the lack of time – became possible. Although, mostly in solitude, or with a few close family members from the same household. One thing we all learned is just how important sharing a cup of tea with a good friend is.

6. Tea gifts became more popular than ever

Tea became a cool gift for both experienced and new tea drinkers. Special get-well tea boxes and immunity boosting bundles were only some of the new tea products that were created during the pandemic. After all, tea is always a good choice, and especially soothing when you get unwell.

7. Bubble tea shortage

But it wasn’t only real tea that was affected. Bubble tea shops that started popping up on every corner in most metropolis around the world, because of shipping delays, felt a shortage of boba pearls too. No boba, no bubble tea, no matter how delicious other ingredients are.

8. Tea brought up some safety issues

When the pandemic started, consumption of any product, not only tea, has stirred up many safety related questions. Can you get Covid by drinking infected tea leaves? Can coronavirus survive on potentially infected tea leaves? Thankfully, we soon learned that tea is perfectly safe.

9. New studies shed a new light on green tea

Green tea was once again re-instated as a healthy drink. While green tea alone certainly won’t be able to keep you safe from Covid, it showed remarkable possibilities. Studies showed that EGCG from green tea may, in fact, help prevent and treat Covid [3], [4]. Besides, we realized just how important it is to have a good immune system – something that green tea could definitely help with [5].

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only. Always consult your doctor if you suffer from any health issues and never use tea or supplements for self-treatment.