The popularity of specialty Thai tea has surged dramatically over the past three years, with new shops opening at an astonishing rate of 205% since 2021. The increasing consumer demand for high-quality Thai tea, which allows customers to select specific flavors and aromas from different growing regions, has sparked substantial growth, leading to projected delivery orders exceeding 400,000 cups by 2024.
Starting from 2022, the specialty tea industry underwent significant structural expansion, bolstered by improvements to the quality of tea leaves, diversity of plantations, and production capabilities. This evolution has propelled Thailand to become the seventh-largest tea trading market globally. Both domestic and international demand for Thai tea has seen remarkable growth, driven by popular varieties such as Chinese tea and Assam tea, which are integral to the familiar flavors of Thai tea.
Peer-Min Chaya Booranasehtakul, the owner of KHIRI Thai Tea—one of the highest-ordered specialty Thai tea shops on the LINE MAN delivery platform—explains, "Thai tea has been part of Thai culture for generations, but recent trends have seen consumers pivoting toward specialty drinks, mirroring the rise of specialty coffee. This shift has led to the emergence of the specialty Thai tea market." According to Booranasehtakul, the concept of specialty Thai tea connects every step of tea development, utilizing leaves sourced from Thai farmers and chronicling the authentic flavors of Thai tea.
Across the nation, specialty Thai tea shops are increasingly selecting high-quality tea leaves from various regions of Thailand, each offering unique taste profiles; for example, tea from Chiang Rai features floral and berry notes, tea from Mae Hong Son has hints of orange and butter, and tea from Pattani emits fragrances of peanut butter and pine nuts.
Among the latest trends fuelling the popularity of specialty Thai tea is the "Lisa Thai Tea," developed by Lisa Manoban, known for her collaboration with Erewhon, a prominent luxury supermarket chain in the United States. This has led mainstream consumers to show more interest in premium Thai tea products, prompting well-known establishments such as KHIRI Thai Tea, Unicorn Signature, and C PROM to introduce the “Lisa Thai Tea” on their menus.
Analyzing the data from LINE MAN, especially between 2022-2024, clear growth trends for specialty Thai tea have emerged. Noticeably:
- The number of beverage shops selling specialty Thai tea increased over 205% within the last three years, corresponding to the growing preference among Thai consumers for higher-quality tea.
- By 2024, overall delivery orders are anticipated to reach 400,000 cups, marking an 81% growth year-over-year.
- Bangkok continues to lead as the hub for specialty Thai tea, being home to 46% of the nation's tea shops, followed by Nonthaburi and Chonburi.
Booranasehtakul adds, "If we can tell the story of Thai tea effectively and support it through new menu developments, widening the customer market, or backing from larger brands, we can hasten the mass appeal of specialty Thai tea on par with specialty coffee, both locally and globally!"
Within the larger scope of specialty beverage markets, specialty coffee remains dominant, but the specialty Thai tea market is growing rapidly. According to LINE MAN’s data, from 2022 to 2024, orders for specialty Thai tea have seen a growth rate of over 3.3 times compared to specialty coffee, which grew 2.7 times within the same period. Through these pathways, Thai specialty tea is poised to penetrate global markets, taking advantage of orders from specialty tea shops totaling over 500 featured on LINE MAN.
With the tea industry’s promising future reflected through quality enhancements and captivating marketing campaigns, the narrative of specialty Thai tea seems ready to not only flourish on home ground but to also captivate international audiences.