Just how much do Americans love iced tea? In 2016, they consumed about 68 billion servings of iced tea, and more than half of the American population drinks tea on any given day.
The ready-to-drink iced tea category grew 4% last year, with category volume exceeding 1.7 billion gallons, according to the Tea Association of the USA.
Bottom line: There’s no shortage of iced tea drinkers in America. The demand for fresh-brewed iced tea is high. So if you’re serving iced tea at your restaurant or convenience store, your commercial iced tea sales should be strong.
If your sales are low or underperforming, take a look at these common culprits and check out the solutions:
You’re Using Low-Quality Tea
No matter how your customers take their tea (sweet, unsweetened, flavored), they all expect a high-quality fresh-brewed taste. Simply put, it beats concentrate every time. Plus, fresh-brewed tea is less than half the cost of finished concentrate. With the right iced tea brewing machine, it’s easy and cost efficient to brew fresh tea that your customers will love.
You’re Not Offering Flavored Tea Options
Not everyone likes black tea, so be sure to quench all of your customers’ cravings with a variety of flavored teas. Offering different flavors – from mango to raspberry and pineapple-papaya – is a great way to keep customers coming back for more. Even better, create your own custom flavors unique to your store or restaurant. The possibilities are as limitless as your imagination!
You’re Not Using The Right Urn
An advanced tea urn is easy to use and clean, so your beverages are always compliant with health regulations. In addition, with the right urn you can preprogram the amount of sweetener dispensed, allowing your customers to pour the perfect flavor consistency each time.
Your Tea/Water Ratio Is Too Low
If your customers wanted water, they’d drink water. Make sure your iced tea isn’t watered down. A two-ounce tea bag will make two gallons of finished tea, with one part brew water and three parts dilution water in the final product. On most commercial tea brewers, this calibration only has to be done once, on the initial setup of the equipment. Brewing a delicious glass of iced tea is an art, and it’s important to produce tea that consistently tastes great.
You’re Not Merchandising Tea On Your Menu
If you’re offering fresh-brewed iced tea, make sure it’s not a secret. Prominently featuring your iced tea throughout your convenience store or restaurant is an easy way to help boost your commercial iced tea sales. Your urns should be easy for customers to find. Also, encourage your employees to suggest iced tea when customers are ordering beverages, and consider offering perks like free in-store refills or limited-time promotions, such as free iced tea with the purchase of a meal.
Start Profiting More From Iced Tea
Selling more iced tea isn’t hard when you have the right beverages and you properly promote them. You should see a high return on your investment. In fact, it’s one of the most profitable items for many restaurants and convenience stores.
Start tapping into the high demand for iced tea and boost commercial iced tea sales today.
Learn more about making money selling fresh-brewed iced tea. Discover five tips for increasing convenience store iced tea sales.