Mark your calendars: June 10th is National Iced Tea Day. Got a conflict? Not to worry, the entire month of June is National Iced Tea Month! That gives you a 30-day opportunity to remind your customers that all tea tastes great chilled, from white and green to oolong or black, chai or even puerh.

A LITTLE HISTORY

It all began on a hot, steamy day during the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair. Ice cream melted in seconds, hot foods were ignored, and worse, for tea merchant Richard Blechynden, absolutely no one wanted a cup of hot tea. That didn’t stop this clever man. He soon figured out that putting some ice in the cup of tea, it became chilled and refreshing. He pitched it as a “New! Improved!” tea invention and curious customers were immediately enthusiastic with this way to quench parched throats. Blechynden’s innovation was just the beginning of creative ways to cool tea down and heat sales up. Soon tea vendors were brewing tea concentrates, adding flavorings, mixing teas for blends, and of course, designing creative accessories and brewers to create an entirely new tea marketing segment.

Today, iced teas are sold year around as a delicious (and healthier) alternative to sodas and sugar-laden juices. In the U.S., iced tea accounts for more than 35% of all tea sales! Here are just a few ways to make iced teas a sales winner for you.

FLAVORINGS ADD UP TO SALES!

Green and black teas taste particularly divine when fruity flavors are added. Think whole berries, slices of citrus, or tropical delights like mango, papaya or pineapple. Or consider refreshing sliced cucumbers or crunchy jicama sticks either for flavoring or garnishes.

Not only is experimenting with flavors delicious, but it’s also a fantastic way to develop your own signature summer iced tea blend. For starters, select two flavored teas like an herbal Peach Bellini paired with a black tea like Ceylon Sonata or take advantage of our specially created iced tea flavors such as Coconut blended with Irish Breakfast or your favorite flavors. This gives customers two yummy levels of flavor and a combo they cannot get elsewhere. To amp up the recipe, consider adding slices of fresh peaches or nectarines and a sprig or two of mint.

Got adventurous customers? Help them blend their own by offering a quick how-to recipe on your web site or on a flyer for in-store purchases. List the available base teas, fruity or herbal choices, and let them explore. You sell twice the tea and the customer has twice the fun and flavor.

Iced tea is both refreshing and low-cal AND it’s healthy. Tea has loads of antioxidants that fight disease, with or without the addition of fruits or veggies, and together they make an ideal blend to capitalize on healthy qualities as an “Antioxidant Blast” Iced Tea. When served plain, tea has 20 calories or fewer. Add fruits or cucumbers keeps a tumbler well under 100 calories. Even stirring in some delicious honey adds fewer than 20 calories, so be sure to suggest an Orange Blossom or Tupelo for a delicate light taste of sweetness.

In addition to flavorings, suggest experimenting with dairy choices to add a creamy layer to any iced tea recipe. Choose from the standards like cream, half-and-half and milk or opt for dairy alternatives like oat milk or nut milks.

ACCESSORIZE!

Iced teas require tumblers, tall spoons, and pitchers, so be sure to stock up on the complementary accessories needed to make blending and brewing easy-peasy. Stock up on Adagio’s Airtight cold-brew Iced Tea Pitchers or serving pitchers with colorful lids to brighten up anyone’s kitchen or picnic experience. Customers can brew in the morning, store in the fridge, and have delicious and thirst-quenching iced tea all day long.

GOT IN-STORE SERVICE?

Turn the afternoon into a Happy Cool-Off Hour, with a discount for a choice of three or more iced teas to quench everyone’s thirst. Add favorite go-with snacks like cookies, biscotti, or other treats and add some entertainment like a fun Poetry Jam for Teens or Senior Sudoku Competition or your version of an Afternoon Iced Tea Event to draw customers to the shop on a regular basis. Emphasize your air conditioned comfort, too!

COMMUNITY OUTREACH = S A L E S!

Be a sponsor of a Little League or soccer team and in exchange sell your iced teas to the moms and dads cheering on their little athletes. Or, better yet, sell your teas, especially your Signature Iced Tea Blend, to concession stands at local high school or grade schools to promote your shop, raise awareness of all your tea blends, and support your local community theatres, recreation centers, summer pools or summer class programs. Wherever refreshments are sold is an avenue for you to market your tea!