The history of tea dates back to ancient China, almost 5000 years ago. Tea was first introduced to America in the late 1640s by the Dutch. In the colonial years, tea was a well-established ritual only in upper-class households in the U.S.
The History of Iced Tea:
Iced tea was first presented to the world by America. Mr. Blechynden, an American Tea plantation owner, first presented iced tea to the world. In 1904, World’s Fair in St. Louis, Blechynden was offering hot tea to the attendees. But on a hot summer day, no one wanted a cup of hot tea. Blechynden then decided to pour tea on ice. Little did he know it was going to change the trajectory of the Global Tea Industry.
Top 25 Ice Tea Brands
1. LIPTON
Lipton first launched its iced tea in 1991. Now it is available worldwide, in more than 150 countries. Lipton iced tea is made in five different flavors e.g.lemon, mango, raspberry, nectarine, and peach. Lipton lemon iced tea is the most popular variant of iced tea among 112 million consumers worldwide.
Lipton’s iced tea is made with 100% black tea bags. As a result, it helps in improving memory and cognition as well as helps in weight loss. It reduces the possibility of type 2 diabetes.
2. PURE LEAF
Pure Leaf is the most-sold iced tea on Amazon. In 2021 in the U.S., pure leaf made more than 900 million dollars in sales in the U.S. Pure leaf iced tea is” real brewed” and comes without any artificial sweetener, powder, or concentrate. The Black Unsweetened iced tea is the most popular iced tea made with pure leaves.
Pure leaf iced is brewed and because of this, it contains antioxidants. It fastens metabolism and reduces the risk of stroke. It feels very much like homemade tea, not overpowering and not excessively sweet, making it a perfect refreshing beverage to cheer you up.
3. SNAPPLE
Introduced almost 50 years ago, Snapple has a wide range of iced tea variants. More than 30 flavors of iced tea made by Snapple are available in the market. So consumers have a wide range to choose from according to their tastes and liking. Kiwi Strawberry and Black cherry lemonade are the best-selling and testing flavors in the U.S. But discontinuation of their iconic glass bottles has had a negative impact on their sales and customer satisfaction. One bottle of Snapple lemon iced tea offers 150 calories with 0g of fat.
4. DEAN’S
Providing over 80 calories per serving, Dean’s iced tea is one of the most well-known iced teas in the U.S. A serving of 240 ml has a calorie count of 80. It also contains 10 mg of sodium and 19 grams of sugar in it.
5. SWEET LEAF
Sweet Leaf tea is owned by Nestle and was formed in 1998 in Beaumont. Sweet Leaf is famous for its organic tea made from 100% pure cane sugar. Their specialty is making organic products without any usage of GMOs (Genetically Modified Organism). Sweet Leaf iced tea has 110 calories and 27 grams of sugar per serving. The company has received worldwide admiration for producing organic iced tea.
6. TURKEY HILL
TURKEY HILL first started as a dairy back in 1931 in Pennsylvania. This company has come a long way from producing ice creams. Turkey Hill only has a limited number of flavor variants but when it comes to nutritional value, this brand stands tall. Providing 120 calories and 30 grams of sugar ( 36 grams in their orange tea).
7. ARIZONA
Arizona was founded in 1971 in WOODBURY, NEWYORK. But Arizona’s first product came out in 1992. Arizona iced tea is famous for mainly 2 things – its vibrant and charismatic bottles. Probably the first iced tea bottle you will notice after walking into the store will be an Arizona iced tea.
The other factor behind its success is its budget-friendly price rate. A can of 23 ounces costs only 99 cents.
8. BAI
Bai recently has taken the center stage in the iced tea industry. Bai commits to its quality and zero artificial substances. Bai’s most famous iced tea is the “SUPERTEA”, which has only 1 gram of sugar.
9. BRISK
Brisk was created by the partnership of Pepsi and Unilever. Brisk is not shy to mix it up and produce new flavors. It’s half iced tea and half lemonade providing 70 calories per 12-ounce bottle. Brisk is one of those companies that are rising rapidly on the popularity chart.
10. UNI: TE
UNI: TE is a California-based company that is famous for making iced tea with dates.UNI: TE specializes in making date-flavored iced teas with no artificial ingredients. For all the date lovers out there unite is offering iced tea with a rich aroma and strong taste.
11. TEAVANA
TEAVANA is owned by STARBUCKS. The company started production in1997. But Teavana only offers two flavors in the U.S – unsweetened peach nectarine green tea and mango black tea.
12. PEACE TEA
Peace tea owned by COCA-COLA was introduced in 2009. If you are looking for a wide range of flavors to try, peace tea is the right brand for you.
13. TEJAVA
Tejava offers the most fresh-brewed taste in the iced tea market today. Two of their most popular flavors are original black iced tea and peach iced tea. The original black iced tea has 0 calories and 0 grams of sugar.
14. CRYSTAL LIGHT
CRYSTAL LIGHT became popular by making lemonade, later they started producing lemon iced tea. Containing a little amount of potassium and zero sugar, it might be the best alternative to calorie and sugar-heavy drinks.
15. TAZO
TAZO was originally owned by STARBUCKS, but then in 2017, they sold to UNILEVER. It is herbal in nature and it is good for weight loss. Tazo has participated in the fight against climate change and upholds human rights activism.
16. MILO’S
MILO’S started business in 1946 as a family business, opening a fast-food chain. But soon it became famous for its iced tea. Its main selling point is its high quality. Now it’s run by a women-owned company and has a 4.5 out of 5 rating on Walmart.
17. HONEST TEA
It is a USDA-certified product with recyclable bottles and no preservatives or GMOs. It is also an authentic brewed tea that delivers a refreshing taste.
18 . ZEVIA
ZEVIA might not have the popularity as the other iced teas on the market, but it holds a spot in this ranking because of its amazing taste with zero sugar.
19. FUZE TEA
FUZE TEA is another company on this list that is owned by COCA-COLA. FUZE TEA presents a wide range of flavors to choose from and it also has a high nutrition value, providing over 80 calories per 12-ounce bottle.
20. COUNTRY TIME
COUNTRY TIME offers something new to this chart. That is – it is made from powdered lemonade mix. Some might not like to drink powdered iced tea, but others seem to enjoy it. This tea provides a whopping 130 calories per 12-ounce serving and 33 grams of sugar and 0.3 grams of sodium.
21. SOBE
A company that is renowned for making incredible flavored iced tea and juice. It is owned by PepsiCo. SOBE’s most popular lineup is their elixir series.
22. LUZIANNE
Luzianne is one of the most famous iced teas in the U.S. It has an authentic flavor and is made with authentic ingredients. Luzianne iced tea holds a 5 out of 5 rating on WALMART.
23 . TEA’S TEA
If you are looking mostly for unsweetened iced teas, tea’s tea is the perfect brand for you. It also produces sweetened iced teas which have a calorie count of 80 and 20 grams of sugar.
24. NESTEA
You can probably guess from the name that it is owned by NESTLE. Their most popular iced tea is their lemon iced tea and powdered iced tea. Because of their usage of real ingredients, Nestea delivers a strong revitalizing flavor.
25. HARNEY AND SONS
Harney and Sons is a company situated in Millerton, new york which produces tea of almost every form there is, from bottled to loose leaf. They present an aromatic and organic flavor that will surely lift up your mood. Their best seller is Black currant fresh brewed iced tea.
Factors Considered While Selecting Iced Tea Brands :
- Quality
- Fragrance
- Nutrition Value
- Budget-Friendly
- Availability
- Range Of Flavors
All of the factors mentioned above were considered while rating the top 25 iced tea brands. As of today, there are a lot of high-end brands of iced teas out there on the market. Finding the perfect iced tea for you can be a bit tricky but we have done our utmost best to find or rank the best-iced teas on the market. But finding the besticed tea for you depends on your taste and liking.
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