Why Honest Tea Fans May Want To Buy In Bulk
A good cup of tea is a welcome way to start the day or unwind in the evening, and different types, like peppermint and mugicha, can boost your health with various nutrients and antioxidants. Whether it's for enjoyment or well-being, tea is a popular beverage, particularly among Americans. According to a study by the Tea Association of the U.S.A. Inc, over 159 million people across the country drink tea on any given day.
The high demand for tea means the grocery aisles are bustling with a wide range of brands (though some are definitely better than others). While this is usually great news for tea lovers because there are many options and varieties to choose from for your brewing and sipping pleasure, the fierce competition can also lead to unexpected changes.
And if you're an Honest Tea fan, a recent announcement from the Coca-Cola Co. is likely to be surprising and possibly even saddening.
What is happening to Honest Tea?
You might be wondering: What does Coca-Cola have to do with Honest Tea?
Actually, the beverage company has owned the tea brand since 2011. However, that is all going to change now that the corporation has announced that it will phase out the Honest Tea brand at the end of 2022 and prioritize the production and distribution of Gold Peak and Peace Tea instead. These are Coca-Cola's national and regional ready-to-drink tea brands, respectively (via Food Business News).
In response to the news, Seth Goldman, who co-founded Honest Tea with Barry Nalebuff in 1998, shared on LinkedIn that the decision to put a halt to the brand was a "gut punch to all the sweat, tears and incredible passion that went into building our beloved brand." Goldman also thanked the "tens of millions of consumers" who have bought and enjoyed Honest Tea during its run of over 20 years, as well as the restaurants, retailers, and distributors who have partnered with the brand.
The Honest name is not completely going away though. Coca-Cola shared that it will keep the Honest Kids juice line and also consider opportunities to license and transform the Honest brand in the future.
But when it comes to the teas, it seems like the only way to keep sipping Honest Tea past the end of this year is to stock up before it's gone