15 Tea Statistics & Facts to Know in 2024 (With Infographic)

Note: This article’s statistics come from third-party sources and do not represent the opinions of this website.

Sitting back to enjoy a cup of tea is a guilty pleasure many of us take part in. With the rich history behind your cup of tea and the health benefits it can offer, learning more about this delicious drink is something we should all take part in. Below are 15 tea statistics and facts every tea drinker, and those who are simply curious about tea’s appeal, should know.

Click below to jump ahead:

• Tea Statistics You Should Know
• Tea Industry Facts and Statistics to Know
• Worldwide Tea Statistics

Top 15 Tea Statistics

1. Tea is the 2^nd most consumed beverage in the world.
2. 39 billion gallons of tea were consumed by Americans in 2021.
3. The world’s favorite type of tea is black tea.
4. More than 87% of Millennials drink tea.
5. In 2021, Lipton Pure Leaf was the top-selling ready-to-drink tea in the US.
6. According to the Tea Association of the USA, nearly 80% of all tea consumed in the United States is iced tea.
7. China led the global tea market in 2020 with 78.7 billion US dollars worth of revenue.
8. The covid pandemic affected the wholesale price of tea in 2020 by raising prices by 50%.
9. Bubble tea made a rise in popularity in 2018 with a 3000% increase in orders from Southeast Asia.
10. The consumption of organic tea rose by 1.06 million gallons in 2018.
11. Between 2021 and 2028, the global tea market is expected to grow at a CAGR rate of 6.6%.
12. The production of green tea around the world is expected to reach 2.97 million tons by 2023.
13. The production of black tea around the world is expected to grow by 2.9% annually by the year 2023.
14. The average amount of tea consumed by a single British tea drinker is approximately 265 liters per year.
15. There are over 1000 different varieties of tea available in the world.

Tea Statistics You Should Know

1. Tea is the second most consumed beverage in the world.

(World Tea News)

Yes, you heard that correctly. Tea is the 2^nd most consumed beverage around the world. It comes in 2^nd only behind packaged water which still dominates due to people’s need to consume water daily. 

2. 39 billion gallons of tea were consumed by Americans in 2021.

(Tea Association of the USA)

This statistic goes to show the huge reach tea has across the United States with 85 billion servings equalling 39 billion gallons being consumed.

3. The world’s favorite type of tea is black tea.

(NCBI)

With several types of tea to choose from, black tea is still at the top. In the US 90% of all tea consumed is black tea.

4. More than 87% of Millennials drink tea.

(Tea Association of the USA)

87%+ Millenials enjoy drinking tea. This equals 4 out of 5 consumers.

5. In 2021, Lipton Pure Leaf was the top-selling ready-to-drink tea in the USA.

(Statista)

While there are a lot of ready-to-drink teas on the market, Lipton Pure Leaf came out on top in 2021 as the leader of the pack. Sales of this drink exceeded 900 million dollars.

6. According to the Tea Association of the USA, nearly 80% of all tea consumed in the United States is iced tea.

(Tea Association of the USA)

While it was made popular in our southern states, iced tea is now taking America by storm with nearly 80% of all tea consumed in the country being of the iced variety.

Tea Industry Facts and Statistics to Know

7. China led the global tea market in 2020 with 78.7 billion US dollars’ worth of revenue.

(Statista)

China is considered the leader when it comes to the world’s tea industry. In 2020, this was evident by the 78.7 billion dollars the country earned. The countries coming in 2^nd and 3^rd were Brazil and India.

8. The Covid pandemic affected the wholesale price of tea in 2020 by raising prices by 50%.

(Forbes)

It isn’t unusual to hear the effects the Covid pandemic had on the world. Unfortunately, the tea industry was also part of this. During the pandemic, wholesale tea prices raised a whopping 50%.

9. Bubble tea made a rise in popularity in 2018 with a 3000% increase in orders from Southeast Asia.

(The Asean Post)

People love bubble tea. Especially those in Southeast Asia. In 2018, bubble tea was so popular the demand was hard to keep up with and left people struggling to honor orders.

10. The consumption of organic tea rose by 1.06 million gallons in 2018.

(Tea & Coffee)

The love of everything organic has made its way into the tea industry. In 2018, the consumption of this type of tea rose by a startling 1.06 million gallons and is expected to continue.

11. Between 2021 and 2028, the global tea market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 6.6%.

(Research Dive)

From 2021 to 2028, the global tea market is expected to rake in 67,920 million dollars which means it will grow at an alarming 6.6% rate.

Worldwide Tea Statistics

12. The production of green tea around the world is expected to reach 2.97 million tons by 2023.

(FAO.org)

With the popularity of tea steadily on the rise, it is expected that green tea production around the world will grow quite a bit. It is expected to reach 2.97 million tons, which is a growth of 8.2% annually, by the year 2023.

13. The production of black tea around the world is expected to grow by 2.9% annually by the year 2023.

(FAO.org)

Like with green tea, the production of black tea around the world is growing rapidly. By 2023, it is expected that production will grow by 2.9% annually, resulting in 4.17 million tons of tea.

14. The average amount of tea consumed by a single British tea drinker is approximately 265 liters per year.

(Irish Post)

We all know the British drink a lot of tea, but on average one British tea drinker can consume 265 liters per year. This averages out to roughly $16,500 spent on tea in a lifetime.

15. There are over 1000 different varieties of tea available in the world.

(Statista)

It’s hard to believe it, but there are 1000 varieties of tea throughout the world. Most of these tea varieties are classified as white, oolong, black, or green tea.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the common types of tea?

There are 4 types of tea: white, oolong, black, and green. They all come from the same plant, the only difference is how it is processed and the fermentation involved.

How many calories are in a cup of tea?

If you don’t add anything to your tea, then you’ll be pleased to know there are no calories in your cup. Calories don’t come into play until consumers add milk, sugar, or honey.

Which has more caffeine: tea or coffee?

While tea contains caffeine, you’ll find that a cup of tea has nearly half the caffeine content of a cup of coffee.

Conclusion

As you can see, there are lots of things to learn about tea. Whether you’re a fan of this drink or find yourself curious about how it compares to other drinks on the market, these statistics should give you an insight into the tea world you didn’t know before. Enjoy learning more about this tasty beverage and perhaps take a chance on making it part of your life.