What is Sparkling Tea? The Wellness Drink Popular With Gen Z

Sparkling tea is one of the newest and most popular beverages to enter the low and no alcohol market. Recipes and products have gained traction on social media sites like TikTok and Instagram, and there are now a wide variety of branded options available in stores. Here’s everything you need to know about sparkling tea, including which ones to try.

What is sparking tea?

Sparkling tea typically includes a blend of black, herbal, white, or green tea and sparkling water, though some recipes include carbonated soft drinks like ginger ale, lemonade, or Sprite. Some sparkling teas are virtually identical to kombucha, another fermented tea drink, but the majority of recipes are closer to a refreshingly carbonated twist on classic iced tea.

The global sparkling tea market was valued at nearly USD $500 million in 2023, and Grand View Research predicts the market will grow at a CAGR of 6.3 percent between 2024 and 2030. The trend gained momentum over the 2024 festive period and “dry” January 2025.

In December, British supermarket chain Tesco reported a “record-breaking year” for no-and-low alcohol drinks, while the Guardian recently noted that high-end sparkling tea sales “soared” over Christmas. Popular brands such as Buckinghamshire’s The REAL Drinks Co reported a notable 60 – 72 percent increase in sales compared to the year before.

Fizzy tea has proven to be a runaway hit with younger people as a healthy alternative to both alcoholic wine and traditional alcohol-free options like sugar-laden sodas. While 59 percent of British adults are either avoiding or limiting their alcohol consumption, young people, in particular, are drinking significantly less than some of their older millennial peers.

Around 33 percent of Generation Z don’t drink at all. While others do so in moderation, they often only partake on special occasions and for celebrations, which matches the broader trend of younger people embracing healthier lifestyle choices overall. For example, 94 percent of Generation Z puts effort into healthy eating, and more than half follow a partially vegetarian, plant-forward diet. Twenty-one percent of Generation Z now identifies as vegan.

Are there any health benefits to sparkling tea?

Sparkling tea can certainly be seen as a healthier alternative to alcohol, which can cause a range of health issues. While there is less conclusive evidence for soda drinkers, the CDC notes that frequent consumption of sugary beverages is likely linked to a long list of negative health outcomes, including elevated disease risk.

Certain sparkling tea drinks include some sugar, but there are also a variety of unsweetened, naturally sweetened, and low-sugar options. Tea itself is linked with various potential health benefits, including reduced blood pressure and improved cardiovascular health.

All varieties of tea – including black, green, white, and oolong – are also rich in protective plant compounds known as polyphenols, which are thought to protect the body against oxidative stress along with cancers, heart disease, and chronic inflammation.

According to BBC Good Food, tea is also linked to stress and anxiety alleviation, improved attention and focus, and even good bone health. Meanwhile, Healthline links fermented food and drinks like kombucha and other fermented teas with even more potential health benefits, including aided digestion, improved liver health, and protection against certain cancers.

Sparkling tea products to try today

Whatever its potential health benefits, sparkling tea makes for a refreshing alternative to alcohol without the sugar content of soda. There are a variety of recipes online if you feel like making your own at home, and a growing number of pre-mixed options available to buy.

Note: while the beverages included below appear to be vegan-friendly, you should always check the ingredients yourself before purchasing sparkling tea products. If in doubt, contact the manufacturer.

Juni

California-based Juni sells fizzy tea-style soft drinks made with green tea. They come in tropical, raspberry, and peach flavors, and are sweetened with a touch of stevia to avoid added sugar. (Juni says that its sparkling drinks contain just five calories per can.)

The drinks include a little caffeine, but instead emphasize what the company calls “powerful adaptogens and nootropics” to renew energy, enhance focus, and “elevate” wellness. These ingredients include ashwagandha, reishi mushroom, Lion’s Mane, and acerola cherry.

Juni’s sparkling drinks RRP online for $29.95 per 12-pack, and are also available in the US at Target and Sprouts Farmers Market locations nationwide.

Find out more here.

The Real Drinks Co

Photo shows three bottles of Real Drinks Co fizzy tea alongside wine glasses of the same — Real Drinks Co Wine-style bottles and wine-inspired flavors make Real Drinks Co’s fizzy tea a perfect replacement for traditional alcoholic options

Real Drinks specializes in alcohol-free drinks made from tea. They come in wine-style bottles and include flavors such as Peony Blush, Royal Flush, and Dry Dragon.

Real Drinks has won multiple awards for its high-end, tea-based beverages, including several from 2024’s London Wine Competition (LWC). According to the LWC, the Peony Blush floral notes include rose petals, fresh red berries, and orange flower flavors on the palate.

The Real Drinks range is available online from £63 to £69 per six-bottle case, depending on the flavor, or £35 to £38 for 12 tins. The drinks are also available in Sainsbury’s in the UK.

Find out more here.

Saicho

Saicho has appeared several times in recent months under #sparklingtea on TikTok.

The brand’s teas are wrapped in ornate packaging and wine-style glass bottles, and the ingredients themselves are grown around the world. The tea for Hojicha is grown in Shizuoka, Japan; Darjeeling in its namesake, India; and Jasmine in Fujian, China. Each variety has been designed with food pairing in mind and can be included in cocktails and mocktails.

Saicho products are available in premium hotels, restaurants, and retailers, such as Harrods, Selfridges, Shangri-La at the London Shard, and more. When purchased from Saicho online, the teas cost £17.99 per bottle, though collections and mini collections are also available.

Find out more here.

Copenhagen Sparkling Tea

Copenhagen Sparkling Tea was founded in 2017 as a “fusion of Nordic innovation and Asian tea heritage,” according to the brand. All products are hand-crafted and organic, and the Danish company produces both low and no-alcohol beverages. Copenhagen Sparkling Tea also recommends pairings and cocktails for its products and currently stocks six varieties.

They have an RRP of around £20 plus delivery when purchased online, including from the Wise Bartender and other similar low-alcohol drink specialists.

Find out more here.

JING’s Jasmine Pearls

Photo shows a bottle of JING sparkling tea alongside two champagne-style glasses — JING The tea in JING’s Jasmine Pearls beverage is all produced in the same garden

JING was launched in 2004 “to bring the best teas to the world,” and the company produces a sparkling version made with jasmine-scented green tea. Other tasting notes include subtle fruit and a dry, wine-like texture. JING’s Jasmine Pearls tea is produced in the Shekou Garden, Fujian, China. It is available online for £22.80 per bottle.

Find out more here.

Twinings read-to-drink sparkling tea

Photo shows a group of people sat at a table drinking tins of Twinings sparkling tea — Twinings Twinings introduced its sparkling tea line last year

British brand Twinings launched a range of tinned sparkling tea drinks in September 2024. It includes three flavors: Refresh, made with raspberry lemonade; Defence, made with orange and passionfruit; and Boost, made with lemon and ginger.

The marketing emphasizes much of the same language as smoothies and other commercial products that are sold as nutritious or healthy options. Twining’s sparkling tea is fortified with vitamins and minerals, and it contains no artificial sweeteners, colors, or added sugar.

The Twinings sparkling tea has a relatively accessible price point compared to some of the other options at £1.89 per can and is available from select Sainsbury’s and Waitrose stores.

Find out more here.

LA Brewery

LA Brewery is a London-based company specializing in alcohol-free, fermented drinks that take “inspiration from the garden.” The brand makes a selection of kombucha and fermented tea beverages, including Sparkling White Rose (assam and white monkey tea for a zesty champagne alternative) and Sparkling English Blush (a green and black tea blend inspired by rosé). Each has an RRP of £13 per bottle, with twin-packs and full cases also available.

Find out more here.

Van Nahmen

Van Nahmen was founded in the Lower Rhine region of Germany over 100 years ago and makes a variety of fruit-based products, including apple butter, juices, “Fruit Seccos,” and Juicy Teas. The company’s Sparkling Juicy Tea range includes a white wine-style option with notes of verbena, jasmine, and riesling, as well as a rosé-style beverage with Darjeeling and rhubarb. The company previously offered a white tea, vanilla, and quince option.

These fruity, fizzy teas are available from certain delis and online retailers such as Mubarak London. The RRP is around £13 per bottle.

Find out more here.

ChariTea

ChariTea produces a selection of iced tea products, including rooibos, maté, black, and green, each one featuring additional flavors from ingredients like ginger, citrus fruit, organic agave syrup, and passion fruit. Only the ChariTea Maté is sparkling.

The Lemonaid & ChariTea Foundation is based in the St Pauli district of Hamburg, Germany. It was founded in 2008 and “aims to contribute to the sustainable improvement of social, economic and ecological structures in the Global South.” Each bottle of ChariTea gives an additional 5 cents to the foundation, which so far has raised six million Euros.

ChariTea’s iced teas are available online in mixed packs at an RRP of £20.29.

Find out more here.

Three Spirit Blurred Vines Spark

Three Spirit makes plant-based alternatives to alcohol using “active compounds” like adaptogens and nootropics. The company has a large range, including award-winning drinks like The Livener (watermelon, guava, ginger, and green tea), Social (lion’s mane, yerba maté, cacao, and green tea), and Nightcap (black pepper, vanilla, and valerian).

Three Spirit currently produces two different “Blurred Vines” sparkling teas: Spark (a bright, caffeinated rosé alternative), and Sharp (a fresh, aromatic white wine alternative.) Each one has an RRP of £16.99, but the company also offers a two-pack with both varieties for £30.

Find out more here.