Layn Natural Ingredients is expanding its functional tea extracts line to meet growing consumer demand for healthy clean label ingredients. The company finds this arena promising as it says the global tea extracts industry is expected to reach US$4.3 billion by 2027.

“Consumers are well familiar with the health benefits of tea. Next to water, tea is the most consumed beverage in the world,” says Collette Kakuk, vice president of global marketing at Layn Natural Ingredients.

The tea extracts hail from the tea plant Camellia sinensis – including green, black, white, oolong and pu’erh. The product line also includes sweet blackberry tea extract and instant powdered tea for beverages.

Tapping into functional gains
The functional benefits of the tea extracts range from health and wellness, immune support, mood support and weight management, according to the company. 

“Expansion of our tea extracts portfolio to include a mainstay variety such as green tea extract and also lesser-known, potent varieties such as pu’erh tea, brings to market a breadth of tea extract ingredients brands can leverage to meet today’s consumer demand for clean label, recognizable, functional ingredients,” Kakuk notes. 

Tea is one of the most popular beverages across the world, with consumer demands becoming more specific. The tea extracts contain antioxidants and other active ingredients such as polyphenols, catechins, EGCG, flavonoids, L-theanine and natural caffeine. 

According to the company, the products are Non-GMO Project Verified and USDA Organic Certified. No maltodextrin or other carrier ingredients are included, thus allowing Layn to market the tea extract ingredients as clean label products.

Innovation in manufacturing
Across the US, 100% natural L-theanine extract with 98% purity is available, while in the European market, Layn introduced its 40% L-theanine green tea extracts, which are compliant with the European Food Safety Authority and supported by C14 analysis (carbon dating) to /confirm/i Camellia sinensis origin. 

Layn has patented its manufacturing process for L-theanine and other tea extracts so as to invest in future innovation, which has so far allowed it to go above and beyond the traditional industry purity and quality standards, it notes. 

Earlier this year, Layn invested US$148 million to drive botanical ingredient innovation, as the company expects that by 2027 the market will reach US$4.3 billion.

Recently, FoodIngredientsFirst reported on flavor trends within tea and coffee, wher social media is influencing consumer trends, giving rise to cozy, “comfort” flavors that signal autumnal weather. 

Consumers have been noted to be calling the shots all the more in the products they seek out, according to Innova Market Insights, which has observed this as a growing trend set to continue into 2022. 

Meanwhile, the tea-based alcoholic beverage sector “hard teas” is gaining momentum as consumers seek adventurous and interesting beverages that go beyond the norm.