Dive Brief:
- Bigelow Tea is launching a new line of bagged tea called Bigelow Benefits, which are meant to support well being with good-for-you ingredients, according to Prepared Foods.
- The functional teas are currently available in seven varieties: Good Mood, a chocolate and almond herbal tea; Calm Stomach, a herbal tea blending ginger, peppermint and peach; Refresh, a green and matcha tea blend with turmeric and a mild pepper kick; Radiate Beauty, a blueberry and aloe herbal tea; Balance, a cinnamon and blackberry herbal tea; Sleep, a chamomile and lavender herbal blend; and Stay Well, a lemon and echinacea herbal tea.
- Bigelow Benefits is available nationwide in packaged boxes of 18 individually wrapped tea bags with an MSRP of $2.99.
Dive Insight:
In a written statement, Bigelow Tea said the inspiration for this new line of wellness brews sprang from the core belief in the importance of putting "good things in our bodies to help us stay strong." The seven new blends are intended to support clean eating and help ease everyday issues with all-natural herbs.
As consumers continue to look for better-for-you ingredients and strive for clean eating, many are naturally curious about the benefits of the healthy foods they’re choosing to put in their bodies. The same goes for what they drink. Customers who are interested in a food’s function — not just its flavor — would likely be the target audience for this new line.
But how do they back up the wellness claims, which are incidentally in a larger font than the flavor? Clever phrasing helps Bigelow skirt the issue. On the side of a box of Sleep tea, the company espouses the benefits of the main ingredients of chamomile, lavender, and poppy flowers with wording such as "commonly thought," "traditionally thought" and "commonly associated." No specific promises are made that the sleep tea will in fact help consumers get to sleep.
The global tea market is steadily growing and is expected to reach a production volume of 7.2 million tons by 2022, according to a report by IMARC Group. The continued interest is attributed to factors such as health benefits and the emergence of ready-to-drink teas. Established companies, like Bigelow, face the challenge of finding new ways to identify with both core and new customers alike, as upstart competitors crowd the field.
Earlier this fall, Unilever launched a line similar to Bigelow Benefits. The Lipton Wellness Tea Line had five varieties that largely echo these flavors: Stress Less, Detox, Sooth Your Tummy, Bedtime Bliss and Daily Support. They also purport to have functional qualities.
Tea makers aren’t alone in the beverage category when it comes to tapping into the wellness movement. Eight O'Clock Coffee expanded its line of infused Arabica coffees with three new blends, with ingredients like trendy acai berries and turmeric.
Tea is already viewed as a healthy product, but these new health claims could help give Bigelow an edge on competitors. It could also open them up to new consumers who give taste a backseat to what a product can do for their bodies.