Specialty Tea Consumption on the Rise

31/07/07 Consumers want affordable luxury, and are getting more knowledgeable and demanding in their purchases. According to New York-based Telsey Advisory Group, an independent research and retail analyst firm, the luxury retail market -- currently a $45 billion industry -- will grow up to 9% in 2007. In response to this trend and to the success of its premium brand of teas launched last fall, Lipton, the world's leading tea brand with a unique expertise in growing, purchasing and blending the best teas, is introducing three new flavors to its line of premium teas: Lipton Pyramid Tuscan Lemon, Lipton Pyramid Bedtime Story and Lipton Pyramid White Tea with Blueberry & Pomegranate.

Today, tea is a lifestyle choice. As the first company to bring premium tea to mass market retail and grocery stores, Lipton continues to lead the way in the specialty beverage market and gives consumers a luxurious experience with their tea. The Pyramid line keeps with the company's long tradition of bringing high quality at reasonable prices to consumers. In fact, it was Sir Thomas Lipton who decided back in 1880 that he would make tea accessible to all at acceptable prices. Before Sir Lipton, tea was expensive; it was a beverage for the upper class. Lipton's new line of Pyramid teas honors Sir Thomas Lipton's vision by marrying traditional aspiration with an every-one-can-play attitude, bringing mass market exclusivity to consumers.

Throughout the past year, Lipton Pyramid Teas have been featured at exclusive events such as the Sundance Film Festival and the Latin Billboard Awards. The overwhelming response among celebrities and trend setters alike has been that Lipton Pyramid Teas are delicious premium teas that deliver a multidimensional sensorial experience.    

Lipton Pyramid Teas are made with innovative, pyramid-shaped, gossamer tea bags that allow the long leaf tea and real pieces of fruit more room to infuse for greater aroma, color and taste. Each flavor of Lipton Pyramid Teas is a unique blend of long leaf tea, real pieces of fruit, herbs and other natural flavors that create one-of-kind taste experiences. Handpicked from the top two leaves and a bud of the tea plant, the long leaf tea unfurls in the tea bag not only creating an authentic tea experience but also ensuring the natural antioxidant power of the whole tea leaves. Heightening the experience, each unique blend offers up sweet aromas as you open the box, steep your tea and taste the rich, delicious flavors.

Lipton Royal Estates Tea Masters have carefully crafted each blend of Pyramid teas to marry the base tea with 100 percent natural flavors that create an extraordinary taste. Utilizing the finest dried fruit, spices, flowers and herbs, mixed with black, white and green teas, Lipton is making the following new flavor sensations available to consumers:

Bedtime Story
The first chamomile tea in a pyramid-shaped bag in the mass market and the first herbal variety in the Pyramid Tea collection, Bedtime Story is a relaxing combination of ingredients designed to be consumed in the evening to unwind. Made with predominantly chamomile to soothe and relax, Bedtime Story is coupled with peppermint and spearmint as well as spices for added pizzazz.

Tuscan Lemon
Tuscan Lemon is a tribute to Lipton Tea's great history of long-leaf black tea from Ceylon. Lemon flavor adds a juicy, tart element. Real marigold leaves add to lemon flavor and color, however the lemon is not overpowering so the black tea can shine through.

White Tea with Blueberry & Pomegranate
First discovered in the Fujian province of China, Lipton White Tea is plucked by hand from the tips of tea buds before the tea leaf blossoms, to preserve the natural goodness of the whole leaf. Made with real blueberries for a light flavor and light tea infusion, White Tea with Blueberry & Pomegranate is filled with antioxidant properties and represents the trend in highly-caffeinated specialty white tea. White tea has a subtle taste. Green tea is added to enhance the background note and the tea's character.

Lipton Pyramid Teas are available nationwide with a suggested retail price of $3.49 for an 18-count box of White Tea and 20-count box of all other varieties.

Lipton Pyramid Teas & the Healthy Beverage Guidelines
In 2006, the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition published Healthy Beverage Guidelines proposed by a panel of nutrition experts to help consumers choose healthy beverages as part of a balanced nutritional diet. Water and tea were recommended more than any other beverage. The Guidelines recommend up to 8 eight-ounce servings of unsweetened tea and up to 4 eight-ounce servings of tea with calorie-free sweetener. New Lipton Pyramid Teas are a great way to incorporate one of the healthiest beverage options possible into your daily routine without compromising satisfaction or indulgence.