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Thailand Tea and RTD Tea Market Report 2026

Thailand Tea and RTD Tea Market Report 2026

This report looks at the following areas:Consumption intent across tea typesKey drivers of tea and RTD tea choicesChanges in tea drinking habits over the past yearPreferred tea taste profilesPackaged tea innovations of interestUnlock tea's next growth opportunities through aroma-led experiences, generational wellness and regional preferences.Phurisa Phagudom, Research Analyst - Food and Drink, ThailandMarket DefinitionsFor the purposes of this Report, Mintel has used the following definitions:This report covers the retail market for tea purchased for at-home or on-the-go consumption.

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
- What you need to know
- Key issues covered in this Report
MARKET LANDSCAPE
- Tea innovation is outpacing coffee, fueled by RTD momentum
- Graph 1: non-alcoholic beverage launches, by sub-category, 2021-26
- Graph 2: tea launches, by sub-category, 2021-26
- Gen Z is shaping the future of tea culture through higher consumption and greater experimentation
- Graph 3: intention to consume 'more' in the next six months across tea types, by generations
- RTD tea needs more functional credentials
- Graph 4: top ten health-related claims among launches of RTD tea, 2021-26
- Tea is becoming a lifestyle ritual, creating new pathways for consumption growth
- Graph 5: tea drinking habits over the past year, 2026
- Behavioural shifts: tea is replacing other beverages and becoming a snack
- Mintel's Reports trace a clear shift in the tea and RTD tea market
ELEVATE AROMA AS TEA'S NEW MARKER OF VALUE
- The path to broader appeal is stronger aroma rather than stronger tea
- Foodservice is leading the way in redefining tea as a multi-sensory experience
- Packaged RTD tea launches are leveraging aromatic cues in product descriptions
- Graph 6: prevalence of the word 'aroma' in the product description of new RTD teas, 2021-26
- Now: scale growth with fruit-floral layering
- Examples of aroma-led innovations with fruit-floral layering
- Flavourscape: launches are gravitating towards fruit teas that smell as refreshing as they taste
- Graph 7: flavour landscape for RTD tea, by fruit flavours, 2026
- Now: leverage pack cues to enhance the aromatic experience
- Next: quantify and educate customers on aroma to offer sensory transparency
- Next: elevate aroma through botanical provenance
- Next: evolve tea beyond flavour into a more holistic mood-management proposition utilising aromas
- Future: build aroma authenticity through traditional repeat scenting methods
WIN YOUNGER CONSUMERS WITH ENJOYMENT AND OLDER CONSUMERS WITH FUNCTION
- Tea preferences are diverging as Gen Z seeks intensity, while older consumers seek refinement
- Winning with less sugar requires different sensory cues for different generations
- Now: fortified clear tea is the mass market opportunity across demographics
- Now: target Gen Z with enjoyment-led innovation
- Graph 8: tea innovation of interest, by generation, 2026
- Now: low-sugar RTD milk tea with sensory layering for Gen Z
- Now: win Gen Z through experiential innovations
- Focus on caffeine management, an emerging habit among young consumers
- Next: focus on caffeine management, an emerging habit among young consumers
- Graph 9: tea drinking habit over the past year, by generation, 2026
- Next: introduce caffeine labelling to position tea for different times of the day
- Metabolic health gives tea a stronger reason to win with Gen X
- Graph 10: tea innovation of interest, by generation, 2026
- Next: kombucha is the gateway format for gut-health tea
- Next: tea and RTD tea innovations delivering health benefits for Gen X metabolic resilience
- Future: sparkling tea can create a new wellness occasion for the next generation of tea drinkers
- Future: let consumers control their caffeine intake with customisable options aligned to their circadian rhythm
TAILOR TEA INNOVATION TO REGIONAL PREFERENCES
- Regional strategy matrix for tea formulations – an overview
- Bangkok is the trend-setting 'lab market'
- Graph 11: tea drinking habit over the past year, by region, 2026
- Now: innovate with tea ingredients to appeal to Bangkok's desire for broader tea discovery
- Graph 12: tea innovation of interest, by region, 2026
- Now: make packaged brands occupy more space in the rising tea lifestyles of Bangkokians
- Northern Thailand is a distinct 'health-first' tea market
- Next: stand out in the North by leveraging lower sugar cues and natural tea types
- Graph 13: factors when choosing packaged tea products, by region. 2026
- Next: promote the natural flavours and purity of tea by highlighting lower sugar content and inherent taste profiles
- Next: make blood sugar control the spotlight health benefit for Northern tea drinkers
- Graph 14: tea innovation of interest, by region, 2026
- Next: use spice tea as a gateway to new tea discovery in the North
- Graph 15: interest in consuming spice tea, by region, 2026
- Next: pioneer spice tea with beginner-friendly formulations
- Future: tea can evolve from a standalone drink into a companion for light snacking among Bangkokians
- Key takeaways
APPENDIX
- Report definition
- Generations
- Consumer research methodology
- Social data research methodology

Download Report Summary

This report looks at the following areas:

Consumption intent across tea types
Key drivers of tea and RTD tea choices
Changes in tea drinking habits over the past year
Preferred tea taste profiles
Packaged tea innovations of interest

Unlock tea's next growth opportunities through aroma-led experiences, generational wellness and regional preferences.

Phurisa Phagudom, Research Analyst – Food and Drink, Thailand

Market Definitions

For the purposes of this Report, Mintel has used the following definitions:

This report covers the retail market for tea purchased for at-home or on-the-go consumption. For the purpose of this report, the tea market comprises the following:

Canned/bottled RTD tea – shelf-stable and chilled RTD teas in single-serve and multi-serve sizes. Bagged, loose leaf, pod and single-cup teas, including black, white, green and fruit/herbal teas – bagged can be single-cup or multi cup sizes. Powdered teas do not refer to instant mixes or crystalised teas or powders, but rather powdered tea leaves that are brewed and ingested (eg matcha).

Teas sold through foodservice outlets are excluded from this report.

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Thailand Tea and RTD Tea Market Report 2026

Trusted by leading global brands

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

MARKET LANDSCAPE

ELEVATE AROMA AS TEA'S NEW MARKER OF VALUE

WIN YOUNGER CONSUMERS WITH ENJOYMENT AND OLDER CONSUMERS WITH FUNCTION

TAILOR TEA INNOVATION TO REGIONAL PREFERENCES

APPENDIX

This report looks at the following areas:

Market Definitions

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