Ambience is key! New research from BRITA Professional reveals that ambience is the key driver of tea sales outside the home. These are the key findings:
- For 41% of consumers the main reason for purchasing tea outside the home is to enjoy a venue’s ambience
- One in five tea drinkers want a point of difference when drinking tea outside of the home
- Just under a quarter (18%) of consumers look for a special way of serving tea from hot beverage operators
In addition to Ambience, findings show that the variety of tea on offer is also a significant driver. One in five respondents said they wanting a point of difference to the tea they brew at home and just under a quarter (18%) are looking for a special way of serving tea.
These new insights follow previous research from BRITA Professional which revealed that 46% of consumers don’t believe the quality of tea in cafés is better than the brews make at home. In fact, only 15% would visit a café to drink tea they can’t make at home.
What these figures highlight is that there is a missed opportunity for operators when it comes to growing their tea offer through sales of Britain’s most loved hot beverage. For hospitality establishments looking to develop their tea menus and attract repeat custom, on top of Ambience, consumers are looking for a greater emphasis on quality, with one in five wanting an establishment to use filtered water, and 30% seeking specialist tea menus.
‘Tea should be served in a calm atmosphere which has a sense of community rather than a busy place with people rushing in and out’, Jane Pettigrew, Course Director at the UK Tea Academy, said. ‘Many consumers take a tea break to calm down and reduce stress levels, therefore it’s important for operators to provide Ambience and an environment that reflects this.’
Sarah Taylor, Managing Director of BRITA UK, added: “Our previous survey showed us there is a missed opportunity within the tea sector. By investigating this further, we can delve into consumer behaviour and give insight to operators on the potential incumbent in providing a high-quality tea offer.”
On the back of the findings, BRITA will be releasing a solutions-based toolkit in April with more information on how operators can close exploit the potential market for tea to boost sales.
The toolkit will include further insight from the research conducted with 1,000 tea drinkers covering factors on what makes an enjoyable cup of tea and how operators can upsell within the hot beverage sector. Meanwhile, maybe it’s maybe worth thinking about how you can create the perfect Ambience for tea drinking?
More BRITA News from Planet Vending HERE.
