Appey

Source: Appey

Four variants are available made with apples and pears

Warwickshire grocery startup Appey has made its debut with a four-strong range of dilute-to-taste hot beverages.

Packed in single-serve sachets, the premium, caffeine-free fruit teas are made from concentrated British fruit and vegetable juices, with no added sugar or artificial additives.

Available from this week, variants are Apple & Beetroot with Pear, Apple & Rhubarb with Pear, Apple & Raspberry with Pear, and Apple & Strawberry with Pear (rsp: £4.69/6x25ml).

They were best served with 200ml of hot water, according to Appey founder Jo Coward. Whether or not they could be drunk cold “wasn’t something I’ve looked into” she said.

With support for Britain’s orchards “at the heart of the business”, the drinks would tap the trend for locally sourced ingredients, said Coward. Too many hot drinks in the UK were “grown elsewhere in the world”.

The new range would also suit shoppers looking for “natural, caffeine-free drinks” and “genuine convenience” she added.

It comes with the tea category in decline, down 1.2% in value in grocery [Nielsen 52 w/e 8 September 2019], although alternatives to traditional black tea have bucked the trend – with brands such as Pukka Herbs enjoying strong growth for their fruit and herbal infusions.