The trend for premium tea and coffee and a focus on ethical new product development such as Fairtrade lines has driven growth in the hot beverages category.
Performance was also boosted by the wet summer in 2007 versus the very hot summer of 2006. All the tea and coffee brands featured in the Checkout Nielsen Top 100 – Nescafé (6), PG Tips (37), Tetley (39), Kenco (68) and Twinings (94), grew last year.
Key innovations included the launch of Kenco Fusion – 2-in-1 and 3-in-1 coffees, offering coffee and milk and coffee, milk and sugar in sachets – ideal for the workplace and removing the need for fresh milk.
Health and wellbeing in tea was also a key focus and 2007 saw the launch of Tetley Redbush, a naturally decaffeinated product claimed to be high in antioxidants.
