ea, an independent operating unit of The Coca-Cola Co. based in Bethesda, Md., released its zero-calorie Unsweet Lemon Tea nationwide. The beverage was tested earlier this year in New York City.Brewed with U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)-certified organic, Fair Trade Certified tea leaves from India, the unsweetened tea is flavored with organic lemon extract and is available in 16.9-ounce PET bottles. It also is GMO-free and gluten-free, the company says.
“We worked hard to create an unsweetened tea with a smooth and easily accessible taste profile that Unsweet Lemon Tea delivers,” said Seth Goldman, co-founder and TeaEO of Honest Tea, in a statement. “We hope this new variety will resonate with consumers as they seek out more zero-calorie beverages.”
Unsweet Lemon Tea expands Honest Tea’s total zero-calorie beverage line to four varieties in glass and PET bottles in addition to Honest Fizz, a zero-calorie, naturally sweetened soda line launched by Honest Tea earlier this year.
The national launch of Unsweet Lemon Tea furthers Honest Tea’s mission of exclusively sourcing Fair Trade Certified tea leaves. Since partnering with Fair Trade USA in 2003, Honest Tea has contributed more than $397,000 in Fair Trade premiums, reinvesting in education, agriculture and community projects where the tea is sourced. In 2013, the company increased the amount of its Fair Trade premiums by 19 percent compared with the previous year, the company says.
