A Look at the Australian Tea Market: Blending Tea & Herbs in Australia

By Sharyn Johnston, Australian Tea Masters Australia has a history of being a black tea drinking country due to its strong British heritage. Over the years, black tea with milk and some sugar was the everyday drink for Australian families. The black tea consumed was always a blend and usually made up of Assam, Sri Lankan and Chinese black teas. The types of blends, now consumed in Australia, have changed dramatically with the addition of flavors, botanicals, herbs and spices. Coffee consumption is very strong in Australia, and this has affected the tea consumption levels, but the introduction of new and interesting flavored and blended teas has helped overcome this by enticing the younger consumers to try new varieties of teas. Although “English Breakfast “is still the No. 1 selling blend in Australia, specialty cafes are beginning to offer their own signature “Breakfast Blends.” Consumers are beginning to care what is being offered and, oftentimes, people will now not accept a ...