Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/556538
44 STiR tea & coffee industry international / Issue 4, 2015 (August/September) W Loose Leaf Quality at Drive-Thru Speed The take-away breakfast segment is booming but too often morning tea sales lag. Texas loose leaf tea retailer Teast- ers Tea Company has discovered a quick-service solution that boosted morning visits by 40-45% thanks to a speedy and versatile brewer from BKON. By Dan Bolton and Jason Walker hat do rushed consumers eat for breakfast? They eat convenience. Growth in the breakfast segment has led all restaurant segments for the past five years with take-away items surging past traditional breakfast fare. Quick service restaurants (QSR) now account for 80% of total restaurant morning meals, according to the NPD Group, a global market research firm. NPD reports breakfast visits increased 2% in the year ended in December 2014 with more than 12.5 billion breakfast visits to US foodservice outlets. It wasn't the full-service restaurants raking in the lion's share of sales. Price-conscious and on-the-go consumers gave their dollars to quick and limited service restaurants, which resulted in greater gains than in full service restaurants. Meanwhile morning meal visits to midscale/family dining restaurants are declining, according to NPD Group/Crest foodservice market research. A Packaged Facts study also revealed greater increases in per capita spending on breakfast than other mealtimes in the five years. A part of this upswing is attributed to the healthful, higher quality options being provided. The report specifically notes in- novations in tea and juice offerings as an element of these improved options. In 1984 Americans annually purchased an average 19 morning meals at restaurants, but today the average is 31, according to NPD. The accelerating trend should greatly benefit sales of hot tea, a day-starter enjoyed by about one quarter of US adults. Tea in the morning Richard Austin, founder of Teasters Tea Company, a Lubbock, Texas retailer with plans to franchise additional locations, demonstrated a significant increase in morning visits by upgrading and expanding his morning beverage selection of fine teas. Teaster's drive-thru menu features dozens of teas including multi-steep oolongs and chocolate Service time averages three minutes Menu offers 21 iced and 61 hot teas Loryn Terry sampling aTeasters blend recommended by barista Bailee Taylor