Beverage Only Concepts is Taking Over the Food Industry as the Brewing New Trend Becomes Center Stage For Consumers

As trends shift and evolve in the food industry, a notable new phenomenon has taken center stage: beverage only concepts. Over the past few years, we have witnessed an explosion in the number of businesses that focus solely on drinks, offering everything from coffee to milkshakes and now, iced tea. This intriguing move away from traditional food-focused establishments showcases a fresh approach to satisfying consumer demand. According to a study by Grand View Research, the global ready-to-drink (RTD) tea and coffee market is expected to reach 167.88 billion by 2030, showing the potential for beverage-only concepts to dominate the industry.

The core question being explored in this conversation is: How and why did the rise of beverage only concepts come about, and what makes them so attractive to consumers?

In this episode of "The Main Course," host Barbara Castiglia chats with Justin Howe, the CEO of HTeaO, a Texas-based company that focuses on iced tea. They delved into the origins, evolution, and success of beverage only concepts, and particularly, the journey of HTeaO.

On the episode, Castiglia and Howe further talked about:

• The birth and evolution of HTeaO from a restaurant family's experiment to a trend-setting concept in the industry.
• The unique challenges and rewards of a beverage-only business model, focusing on iced tea.
• Understanding the consumer response and preferences that drive the success of HTeaO and similar concepts.

Justin Howe is the President and CEO of HTeaO. Coming from a restaurant family, Howe’s unique insights into the industry have been key to the success of his iced tea concept. His diverse entrepreneurial background, which includes experience in the construction and aircraft management industries, has enabled him to create a fresh and successful concept in a competitive industry.