Tea in Canada: A Cultural and Historical Overview

Tea has a rich history in Canada, with its popularity stemming from the country’s French and British roots. Canadians drink twice as much tea per capita as Americans, with the average Canadian consuming 1.2 cups of tea per day. This love for tea is reflected in the menu of Canada’s largest fast food chain, Tim Hortons, which offers ten different tea flavors, matcha, and chai.

Tea Innovations in Canada

Canada is also home to some important tea innovations. Over 100 years ago, Canadian Theodore Harding Estabrook began pre-blending and pre-packaging tea, which led to fresher and more uniform cups of tea. This practice has only grown in popularity over the years.

Canadian Tea Preferences

Canadian tea drinkers have a preference for traditional brisk black teas from Sri Lanka, with Orange Pekoe being the most popular flavor among 18 percent of Canadian tea drinkers. However, modern immigrant tea cultures and the tea preferences of Millennials and Gen Z are driving Canadian tea trends towards specialty tea categories and flavor-forward tea blends.

The Rise of the London Fog

One of the most popular tea drinks, the London Fog, is said to have originated in Vancouver in 1997. This vanilla earl grey latte was created by a woman suffering from morning sickness, who asked for Earl Grey tea with steamed milk and vanilla sugar. Although it is unclear how the drink spread and got its name, it is recognized as a Canadian innovation.

Tea as a Tool for Relaxation and Health

Canadian tea drinkers primarily drink tea for the experience, but they also rely on this beverage to help with relaxation, sleep, and anxiety. This is a shared interest among tea drinkers in other countries, including the United States.

Welcoming Canadian Tea Lovers

As a result of Canada’s rich tea culture and history, we are excited to offer our full line of premium teas and modern Steepware to Canadian tea lovers with a streamlined cross-border shopping experience. We welcome our Canadian neighbors with open arms and lots of delicious tea!