CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Argo Tea®, the Chicago-based premium tea brand known for its all-natural tea-based signature drinks and loose-leaf teas, is partnering with Whole Foods Market to launch the world’s first line of ready-to-drink (RTD) cold brew single estate bottled teas into the retailer’s stores nationally. The release of the RTD line follows a successful test of the handcrafted single estate cold brew teas in the company’s Argo Tea cafés last year.
With the new Single Estate Cold Brew Tea line, Argo Tea is at the forefront of the emerging cold brew tea segment. By slowly cold-brewing the world’s premier single estate teas, the company is able to extract high concentrations of the right tea cells – flavonoids and antioxidants – giving the teas an exquisite, smooth flavor.
This month, Argo Tea will begin their rollout of the following new flavors at Whole Foods Market stores across the country:
- First Flush Darjeeling: Organic and Biodynamic® Darjeeling black tea from the Ambootia Tea Garden in India
- First Flush Gyokuro: Organic Gyokuro green tea from the Yamaguchi Tea Estate in Japan
- Armenian Mint: Organic Peppermint tea harvested from Central Europe & the Mediterranean Basin
“We’re passionate about creating new ways for people to experience tea,” said Arsen Avakian, founder and CEO, Argo Tea. “With our new Cold Brew teas, we are bringing consumers unprecedented access to super premium teas from around the world. We are uniquely positioned to do this because of our long-term relationships with growers, giving us access to one-of-a-kind micro lots and ensuring the highest quality teas with low microbial levels.”
“There’s no other tea company in the world I’d rather have bring our First Flush Darjeeling to market in an RTD format,” said Sanjay Bansal, owner and chairman of Ambootia Tea Garden. “Arsen and I go back a long time. He is one of the most innovative minds in the beverage business today and I’m incredibly excited about the launch of the new Cold Brew line.”
Yoshiaki Tsutsumi of Yamaguchi Tea Estate concurred, “Argo Tea is truly at the forefront of beverage innovation. Consumers are seeking out unique, authentic flavors and we are proud that our Gyokuro green tea will be a part of this special line of cold brew teas.
The unique and flavorful super-premium teas are USDA Organic certified, Non-GMO Project Verified, all-natural, gluten-free, vegan and kosher. To enhance the natural character of each tea, Argo adds a hint (20 calories per 13.5oz bottle) of fair-trade pure cane sugar to each flavor. All three flavors are bottled in Argo Tea’s iconic glass bottle, preserving the delicate flavors of the teas. Each tea has a suggested retail price of $2.49-$2.69.
The First Flush Darjeeling flavor becomes the only Demeter-Certified Biodynamic ready-to-drink tea available across the U.S. In order for a product to achieve Biodynamic status, the ingredients must come from farms that are Demeter-certified – where the farmers manage their farms like a living organism – and the production facilities must meet the Demeter processing standards to ensure an unbroken chain of accountability from farm to finished product. To learn more, visit http://www.demeter-usa.org/
Argo Tea will support the new product introduction with in-store sampling demonstrations, digital advertising, social media and email marketing.
The new line complements Argo’s existing premium RTD business. The company sells six Signature RTDs, three Unsweetened RTDs and three Teappuccino RTDs nationwide in over 50,000 retail outlets and in all of the company’s 50 cafés.
For more information, please visit www.argotea.com and follow the brand on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/argotea as well as Twitter and Instagram @argotea
About Argo Tea
Since brewing its first cup of tea in 2003, Argo Tea has quickly become a household name and leading multi-channel, branded beverage company. Its ready-to-drink teas in Argo Tea’s iconic bottles are now available in over 50,000 outlets nationwide through partnerships with premier retailers that value its brand-defining commitment to quality, sustainability and healthy living. With nearly 50 Argo Tea cafés globally, it has established a brand building marketing platform that serves over 10 million cups of tea annually fueling its innovation. Argo Tea’s menu includes all natural-tea based signature drinks, over thirty varieties of loose-leaf teas, premium coffee, fresh-baked pastries, specialty foods, and a selection of tea ware and accessories. For more information, please visit www.argotea.com and follow the brand on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/argotea as well as Twitter and Instagram @argotea
