One of the main areas that specialist tea producers need to get right is packaging. After all, packaging forms one of the cornerstones of good marketing (often referenced as the “7 Ps of marketing”), and it’s vital to get it right. Quality packaging suggests quality formulations, and these products can be priced with the accompanying higher margin that most specialist tea brands want to be able to charge.
The big question that many niche and independent tea brands have is whether they should use tea bags to package their custom tea blends. The answer is that there are pros and cons to all types of tea packaging materials depending on your customers, their needs, your budget, and your brand.
What sort of packaging can a speciality tea company help you with?
Let’s take a closer look at tea bags as a packing option for niche and specialty blends. There are pros and cons that must be considered.
The pros of tea bags are:
– They are easy for the customer to use
– They are cost-effective
– Tea bags are quick and can hold small tea leaves and spices for a rapid infusion
– They are easily disposable and most are also recyclable
– Customers like them for everyday products, and they can also be easily transported
However, there are some possible cons to think about:
– Typically, tea bags are used for lower-end teas – think “everyday” blends rather than premium products
– Some tea bags are made with bleached products and may be less environmentally friendly
– There are some cases where fungus grows on the contents inside tea bags, but this can be mitigated by using a specialty tea company with high standards and quality control mechanisms
– Some tea bag materials contain chemicals that are unwanted by customers
How to pick the right packaging
Perhaps the best approach is to choose a speciality tea company that offers product and packaging consultancy and design as part of its tea development and white labeling service. Some higher-end brands will be eager to position themselves as luxury products and charge the appropriate margin, and other types of packaging, such as pyramid tea bags or even loose leaf tea, may be more appropriate.
A speciality tea company can deliver market research that establishes what your target audience is looking for, so that you can create the right product and packaging solutions that meet these needs. The brand needs to be the primary thing that drives your ultimate decision. If you are looking to create premium, high-end and luxury tea products for special occasions, a regular tea bag may not be the most appropriate packaging for your custom blend. However, if you are marketing a more everyday tea – albeit still of high quality – tea bags may be a great solution, especially when they are made from eco-friendly, unbleached and recyclable materials.
Work with your tea company, think about your brand, and above all, understand what your customers want and keep these factors in mind as you make your decision.