Unveiling Consumer Insights for Milk, Black, and Green Tea in India using Google Trends

1. Background

Black tea, green tea, and milk tea are some of the most popular tea variants with distinct characteristics and appeal to different preferences. Black tea is known for its robust flavour and higher caffeine content. It usually provides a rich and bold taste experience. On the other hand, green tea is popular for its lighter, more delicate flavours and numerous health benefits, including high levels of antioxidants and moderate caffeine content. It is typically consumed plain or with a hint of honey or lemon. Milk tea is a versatile beverage that combines tea with milk or milk alternatives to create a creamy and soothing drink. While black tea and green tea are often appreciated for their individual health benefits and distinct tastes, milk tea’s versatility and comforting blend make it a popular choice worldwide, as it can be changed in many ways to match consumers’ personal preferences. 

Google Trends (GT) is one of the most robust and reliable tools for conducting online market research. It provides valuable insights into consumer behaviours, market demands, and emerging trends. GT allows businesses and researchers to measure public interest on specific topics over a particular period. For instance, a study on psychological support services during the COVID-19 pandemic showed a significant increase in online searches for such services, indicating a shift in consumer preferences towards digital solutions during that period. Furthermore, this tool can also serve as a leading indicator for understanding market trends in our tech-driven world. For example, research has demonstrated that search data can predict fluctuations in the real estate market, helping investors make informed decisions based on anticipated demand. This predictive capability is particularly valuable for companies looking to capitalise their businesses on emerging trends. Moreover, GT’s data can be stratified by geographic location, allowing businesses to identify regional variations in consumer interest, which helps companies tailor marketing strategies for specific demographics or locations. For example, the interest in online psychological support varied significantly across different regions during the pandemic, which could inform targeted marketing efforts.

By examining trends over time, businesses can identify seasonal patterns or shifts in consumer behaviour. For instance, a study on mortgage searches demonstrated how online search activity correlates with actual housing market transactions, highlighting the importance of timing in market strategies. Understanding what consumers are searching for is crucial for businesses as it can help in content creation and search engine optimisation (SEO) strategies to improve their visibility and relevance in search results, as well as attract more potential customers. By aligning content with trending search terms, businesses can stay ahead of the curve and better cater to consumer needs.

GT can help identify niche markets by revealing specific interests and search behaviours among different consumer segments. This segmentation allows for more personalised marketing approaches, enhancing engagement and conversion rates. While GT offers valuable insights across various dimensions, it is also essential to consider its limitations. GT’s data reflects only relative search interest rather than absolute numbers; sometimes, this specific limitation creates misinterpretations if not appropriately contextualised. Furthermore, factors such as sampling errors also affect the reliability of the insights drawn from GT’s data. Overall, GT is an invaluable resource for online market research, offering insights into consumer behaviour, market predictions, and regional preferences. By leveraging this tool, businesses can enhance their marketing strategies, optimise content, and make informed decisions based on real-time data.

The primary objective of this research is to conduct a comprehensive analysis and comparison of the monthly search volume data for three types of tea—Milk tea, Black tea, and Green tea—across various sub-regions of the Indian market from 2019 to June 2024. This analysis aims to identify and understand the evolving trends in consumer preferences and demand across different tea varieties. The insights derived from this research can be instrumental in informing effective marketing strategies and guiding product development within the tea industry.

2. Data & Methodology

Monthly search volume data for Milk tea, Black tea, and Green tea is collected using Google Trends and segmented by different sub-regions within India to capture regional variations among Indian consumer interest. The analysis covers a period from January 2019 to June 2024, allowing for a comprehensive understanding of trends over time, including seasonal fluctuations and long-term shifts in consumer behaviour. The search volumes are also cross-compared across the three types of tea to identify which varieties are gaining or losing popularity in different regions. After that, A Query Map is created using top queries associated with Milk tea, Black tea, and Green tea to identify trending topics, stay ahead of the competition, optimise content, target ads, avoid fading keywords, and brainstorm keywords. Overall, the insights generated from this study can be used to understand consumer behaviour, market trends, potential opportunities and marketing strategies tailored to specific regional preferences. Furthermore, this structured approach will also ensure a thorough analysis of India’s tea market, leveraging GT’s capabilities to provide actionable insights for stakeholders in the tea industry.

3. Results

Milk tea, Black tea, and Green tea all of these keywords experienced a significant increase in their search interest during COVID-19. This surge could be attributed to an increased focus on health and immunity; more time spent at home leads to greater interest in beverage options and tea’s potential perceived health benefits for respiratory health. After reaching the peak during COVID-19, search volumes for Milk Tea and Black Tea have remained elevated, staying above 60 (on a scale of 0-100) in the post-COVID-19 era as well. This suggests a lasting change in consumer behaviour and interest. Only green tea has seen a decline in search interest in recent years despite an initial surge during the pandemic (fig: 1).

Fig: 1

Green tea’s search popularity has remained consistently and significantly higher than black and milk tea in the last five years. This gap suggests that green tea has occupied a distinct space among consumer minds, possibly associated with specific health benefits or weight loss properties. Black Tea and Milk Tea have shown almost similar search interest patterns, suggesting they might compete more directly for consumer attention. The recent higher search interest for milk tea possibly indicates a shift towards more indulgent or flavoured tea options. The comparison of search interest for all three types of tea in a single window has shown a clear hierarchy, with Green Tea emerging as the most searched tea, followed by Milk Tea, and then Black Tea, which has the lowest search interest.

Fig: 2

The sustained high search interest for green tea and its surge during COVID-19 underscores a continuing trend of health-conscious consumer behaviour. However, the recent decline in green tea searches might indicate market saturation or a shift in health trends. The resilience of milk tea and black tea searches post-COVID suggests that consumers are balancing health concerns with comfort and familiar flavours. The slight edge of milk tea over black tea in recent years might indicate a preference for more indulgent options. The rising popularity of milk tea could be linked to the global spread of Asian tea culture, particularly the bubble tea phenomenon (fig: 2).

To enhance the appeal of green tea, it is crucial to focus on reinforcing its health benefits and introducing new variants to reignite consumer interest. Stakeholders can attract health-conscious individuals by emphasising the well-known antioxidant properties and potential wellness advantages. Additionally, unveiling innovative green tea blends or flavours can stimulate curiosity and encourage more frequent consumption. For milk tea, it is essential to capitalise on its growing popularity by continually innovating with new flavours. Highlighting both the indulgent experience and the potential health benefits, such as using organic ingredients or reduced sugar options, can appeal to a broader audience. Stakeholders can maintain and expand milk tea’s loyal customer base by offering unique and exciting taste profiles. When it comes to black tea, the strategy should involve showcasing its traditional benefits while also exploring new blends or preparation methods. By reminding consumers of black tea’s rich history and health advantages, stakeholders can uphold its classic appeal. At the same time, introducing creative blends or modern brewing techniques can help black tea compete with the rising popularity of milk tea, ensuring it remains a staple in the tea market. The consistently high interest in green tea suggests an opportunity for black and milk tea brands to educate consumers about their respective health benefits, potentially closing the perception gap. The data indicates a market for hybrid products that combine green tea’s perceived health benefits with milk tea’s indulgent flavours, potentially capturing interest across categories.

3.2 What are people searching associated with Black Tea, Green Tea, and Milk Tea?

The top query associated with “Black Tea” is “black tea benefits” (100), which indicates a strong interest in the health aspects of black tea. This is further supported by searches for “tea benefits” (98) and “benefits of black tea” (33). There’s a notable interest in black tea for weight loss, with queries like “black tea weight loss” (35) and “black tea for weight loss” (25). Furthermore, consumers have frequently compared black tea with other popular beverages as well, such as Green tea (92), Black Coffee (81), and Coffee (81). This suggests that consumers are weighing their beverage options and potentially considering switching between these drinks. Queries about preparation (“how to make tea” – 27) and variations (“lemon tea” – 33, “lemon black tea” – 33) indicate interest in different ways to enjoy black tea. Searches for “tea calories” (24) and “black tea calories” (23) suggest health-conscious consumers are considering the caloric impact of their tea consumption. The presence of “black tea in Hindi” (23) indicates interest from Hindi-speaking regions or cultural significance in those areas.

Fig: 3

The top queries associated with “Milk Tea” are overwhelmingly related to calorie content: “tea with milk calories” (100), “milk tea calories” (72), and “calories in milk tea” (49). This suggests that milk tea drinkers are particularly health-conscious and concerned about the caloric impact of their beverage choices. Furthermore, users have also sought specific information about calorie content: “1 milk tea calories” (33), “1 cup milk tea calories” (26), and “calories in milk tea with sugar” (24). This indicates a desire for precise nutritional information to make informed decisions. Searches for “tea with milk and sugar” (29) and related calorie queries show interest in how additional ingredients affect the nutritional profile. While less prominent than in the black tea category, there are still comparisons with other tea types, particularly green tea (27).

Similar to black tea, the queries associated with “Green Tea”, such as “green tea benefits” (100) and “benefits of green tea” (32), show a strong focus on health benefits. Green tea is also strongly associated with weight loss: “weight loss green tea” (48) and “green tea for weight loss” (35). This suggests that green tea is perceived as a potential aid in weight management. Unlike the other categories, specific brands are mentioned: “Lipton green tea” (52), “Lipton” (50) “ginger green tea” (16). This indicates brand recognition and possibly brand loyalty in the green tea market. Unique to green tea are queries related to beauty: “green tea mask” (27) and “green tea for skin” (22). This suggests that green tea is perceived to have benefits beyond just consumption. Similar to black tea, there’s interest in preparation methods and variations: “how to make green tea” (17) and “lemon green tea” (26).

Across all categories, there’s a clear trend of health-conscious consumers seeking information about benefits, calories, and weight loss potential. All these three types of tea show queries about different preparation methods and flavour additions (like lemon), indicating consumer interest in versatility. The presence of Hindi-language queries in both black and green tea categories suggests significant interest from Hindi-speaking regions.

The comparison of regional search volume for Green Tea and Black Tea shows how the relative search volume (RSV) for Green tea has consistently dominated black tea’s RSV across all the regions of India. Mizoram, Jharkhand, Bihar, Delhi, Chandigarh, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan are some of the regions where the RSV for Gree tea has consistently remained above 90%. Similarly, the comparison of regional search volume for Green Tea and Milk Tea shows that Green tea has generally maintained higher search interest than milk tea across all the regions of India.

Fig:4

Milk tea has generally shown higher search interest than black tea across most of the regions. Still, there are some exceptions where black tea leads, such as Nagaland (58% black tea vs 42% milk tea), Kerala (51% vs. 49%), and Telangana (52% vs. 48%). Regions with the strongest preference for milk tea over black tea are Bihar (36% black tea vs 64% milk tea), Jharkhand (40% vs. 60%), Delhi, Chandigarh, and Odisha (41% vs 59%).

Fig:5

The comparison of regional search volume for Milk Tea, Green Tea and Black Tea in a single window has shown how Green tea has consistently led in this comparison across all the regions. The most balanced distribution is seen in the following: Kerala (66% green, 17% black, 17% milk), Sikkim (66% green, 16% black, 18% milk), Goa (67% green, 16% black, 17% milk). Regions with the strongest green tea dominance: Mizoram (83% green, 8% black, 9% milk)and Andhra Pradesh (80% green, 10% black, 10% milk).

Overall, in the Northeastern States, a notable high interest in green tea has been observed, with Nagaland uniquely favouring black tea over milk tea. Sikkim has demonstrated a more balanced preference among all three tea types. In Northern India, a strong preference for green tea is evident, particularly in urban areas like Delhi and Chandigarh, which share similar patterns likely influenced by their metropolitan nature. Southern India, particularly Kerala and Tamil Nadu, has showcased a more balanced interest across the different types of tea. However, there is a slightly higher inclination towards black tea than in other regions.
Western India has presented a distinct picture, with Goa exhibiting a more balanced interest and a pronounced preference for milk tea. Conversely, Gujarat aligns more closely with Northern India’s strong preference for green tea. In Eastern India, states like Bihar and Jharkhand strongly prefer green tea over black tea. West Bengal and Assam have revealed a moderate distribution of interest across the various tea types. Finally, Central India, represented by Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, has generally conformed to national trends, albeit with less pronounced preference differences.

4. Conclusion

Product development should focus on green tea variants and blends to effectively capitalise on India’s tea market, given its consistently higher popularity nationwide. Developing special black teas could cater to local tastes in regions like Kerala, Nagaland, and Telangana, where black tea has a stronger performance. Additionally, innovating milk tea products for states that show a high preference for it, particularly in the Northeast and Goa, could help in tapping into existing consumer bases.

Marketing strategies should emphasise the health benefits of green tea in regions where it is overwhelmingly preferred while also highlighting the cultural significance of black tea in areas with greater interest in that variety. In states where milk tea outperforms black tea, promoting it as a comfort beverage can enhance its appeal. Furthermore, regional customisation is essential; tailoring tea offerings to match local preferences, especially in states with more balanced interests, will foster deeper connections with consumers. Seasonal variations in tea preferences should also be considered for targeted marketing campaigns.

Education and awareness initiatives can be pivotal in introducing diverse tea options in regions that strongly prefer a single type. By informing consumers about the unique benefits of each tea type, brands can broaden their appeal and encourage exploration. E-commerce and distribution strategies must be adjusted to reflect regional preferences, with online and in-store inventories tailored accordingly. Developing region-specific tea subscription boxes or sampler packs can enhance consumer engagement. Lastly, aligning tea offerings in hotels and restaurants with regional preferences is vital for the tourism and hospitality sector. Creating tea tourism experiences in regions with diverse tea interests, such as Sikkim and Goa, can attract visitors and enhance their appreciation of local tea cultures.

Overall, the search trends for different types of tea reflect a dynamic market influenced by global events, health trends, and changing consumer preferences. Green tea remains the most searched option, likely due to its health associations, while the resilience and growth of milk tea searches highlight a market that values both health and indulgence. Although black tea slightly lags behind green tea and milk tea, it remains a significant player in the market. Tea brands and marketers should consider these trends to tailor their products and messaging to meet evolving consumer interests and needs.

The tea market is driven by health-conscious consumers actively seeking information about the benefits, calorie content, and weight loss potential of different tea types, with a particular emphasis on green tea for its perceived health and beauty benefits. This research suggests opportunities for tea brands to cater to specific consumer interests, such as low-calorie options, weight-loss teas, and beauty-enhancing products.

The cross-comparison analysis reveals a complex landscape of tea preferences across India, with green tea showing strong popularity nationwide but significant regional variations in the relative popularity of black tea and milk tea. These insights can guide tea industry stakeholders in developing targeted product development, marketing, and distribution strategies. It also highlights opportunities for educating consumers and expanding market share for different tea types across regions. By leveraging these insights, the tea industry in India can cater to existing preferences while introducing new tea experiences to consumers, potentially reshaping the tea consumption landscape in various regions over time.

5. References

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About Author

Pankaj Chowdhury is a former Research Assistant at the International Economic Association. He holds a Master’s degree in Demography & Biostatistics from the International Institute for Population Sciences and a Bachelor’s degree in Statistics from Visva-Bharati University. His primary research interests focus on exploring new dimensions of in computational social science and digital demography.

Akash Dey is a former Sales Executive at Alpine Health. He holds a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) from B.P. Poddar Institute of Management and Technology. His key areas of expertise include Decision-Making, Communication, Market Research, Product Marketing, Business Development, and Marketing Strategy.

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of 360 Analytika.

Acknowledgement: The author extends his gratitude to Google Trends for providing data support.

This article is posted by Sahil Shekh, Editor-in-Chief at 360 Analytika.