United States
US Tariffs Begin on Chinese Tea and Coffee
A 15% tariff on Chinese tea and coffee imports effective Sept. 1 is proving hard to swallow. Read more
Tea Industry Faces Disruptive 10% Tariff
Continued volatility poses a threat to processed coffees Read more
American Consumers Pay Tea Tariff on Sept. 1
For the first time since the country’s founding, U.S. consumers will pay a 10% tariff on Chinese tea beginning Sept. 1. Read more
Tariff on Chinese Tea Likely
All the tea from China will be taxed at least 10% if the Trump Administration carries through on its threat to impose a $300 billion round of tariffs effective Sept. 1. Read more
Interest in Hemp Coffee and Tea Grows
Musician Willie Nelson produces CBD coffee and tea while the US Food and Drug Administration holds hearings on whether to classify the hemp molecule as an ingredient in foods and drink and possibly a regulated drug. Read more
Tea Industry Wary Despite Tariff Truce
The US tea industry drew a collective sigh of relief following President Donald Trump’s late-June decision to postpone levying tariffs on $300 billion in Chinese goods. Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed to a resumption of trade negotiations. Read more
Celebrity Social Media Promotion of ‘Detox' Teas Triggers Outcry
The Federal Trade Commission has been asked to investigate celebrity endorsements of detox teas. Read more
Follow the Leaders: Experts Weigh in on Tea Tariffs
Import taxes could conceivably cost Americans $135 billion. America’s “get tough on China” stance has its fans, but no one interviewed favors adding 25% to the cost of importing Chinese tea. Read more
US Consumers Brace for Higher Tea Prices
Few Americans can assess the immense impact of tariffs on every Chinese import, but they will easily notice the difference between a $6 box of 100 teabags and one that sells for $7.50. Read more
Rothfos and InterAmerican Open New HQ
A new headquarters to house InterAmerican Coffee and Rothfos Corporation will open this summer in Hoboken, New Jersey. Read more
Tariff Troubles
China ships very little coffee to the US but it is America’s largest supplier of green tea. The World’s Top Exports website, using data compiled from the US Department of Agriculture, lists China as the world’s top tea exporting nation. Read more
Brand Strategist Join Dutch Bros
Rick Anguilla joined Oregon-based Dutch Bros Coffee in April as the company’s first-ever chief marketing officer. He will serve as the company’s brand strategist. Read more
Peet’s Enhances ‘Order Ahead’ App
Peet’s Coffee recently expanded its Order Ahead phone app with the goal of enhancing the customer experience. Now consumers can save time by ordering in advance and find orders waiting when they arrive. Read more
Coffee Company Drops Kickapoo Name
Citing concerns for cultural appropriation, Kickapoo Coffee will be changing its name before January 2020. No new name has been disclosed. Read more
Tiesta Tea: Branding Function
Tiesta Tea is built on a concept of branding that is directly opposite that of the tea industry norm. Read more
Sanctions Upend Iran Trade
U.S. sanctions imposed to punish Iran have cut demand as traders are scared to transact with Iran for fear of not getting paid as banks shy away from remitting money from the country. Read more
Gourmet Reaches Record 61%
A new trends report shows nearly two-thirds of American coffee drinkers now spend more for quality. They are also drinking less coffee at home in the morning and more in the afternoon. Read more
Kona Farmers Allege Fake Coffee
Three Hawaiian coffee farmers claim the market is flooded with fake Kona coffee and they are going to court to stop it. Read more
Kombucha Now $2 Billion
Kombucha is already the fastest growing segment of the beverage market in North America with accelerating sales in Asia Pacific regions. Reports predict a 15-25% compounded annual global growth rate. Read more
Inexplicable US Withdrawal Forces ICO Reorganization
The withdrawal of the United States from the International Coffee Agreement has forced the International Coffee Organization to reorganize due to a funding gap. Read more
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