British fruit crisp brand Nim’s has released a range of tea infusions that consumers can either drink or eat as a snack.
The so-called ‘edible teas’ are made using dried fruit and vegetables in a similar way to Nim’s line of fruit crisps, making for “a healthy alternative” to caffeinated or herbal teas. The loose tea infusions will retail in 12-packs of 12g sachets and are available in three different varieties: beetroot and parsnip; pineapple and kiwi; and pineapple, beetroot and parsnip.
Nimisha Raja, founder of Nim’s Fruit Crisps, explained: “With our core products doing very well, we decided to look at other ways we could use air dried fruit and veg and our R&D team came up with the idea of fruit and vegetable teas. We completed some initial market research and ‘tastings’ proved very successful… the appetite was definitely there for these products.
“We are on course for our best ever year, with our crisps now available in the Co-op, through online specialist Ocado and in more than 1,400 Tesco stores.”
As well as the loose-leaf infusions, Nim’s has released a range of air-dried slices for use in hot and cold drinks.
The brand said they remove the need for fresh fruit, cutting waste and reducing preparation time in the out-of-home and travel industries.
“Initially, we’ve got cucumber, lime, lemon and orange flavours available, with the latter already being used by one of the UK’s leading coffee shop chains,” Raja said. “The infusions have proved immensely successful, especially over the Christmas period – now we’re looking forward to seeing sales grow in 2019.”
And Raja explained the science behind the dried fruit slices: “The infusions rehydrate in liquid, adding natural flavour to drinks. There is an appetite for healthier, yet adventurous drink choices and these certainly meet that criteria and more.”
All Nim’s products are manufactured using just one ingredient and are fat-, gluten- and dairy-free. They are manufactured at Nim’s Fruit Crisps’ bespoke facility in Sittingbourne, Kent where, after recent investment in new equipment, the company is now capable of producing over 15 million packs of crisps a year.
The two lines of dried fruit and vegetable infusions represents the brand’s first foray into the tea category.
It is redoubling its efforts to gain additional presence in countries outside the European Union (EU), against a backdrop of uncertainty surrounding Brexit. The company has secured distribution deals in Hong Kong, Israel and South Africa as the UK’s withdrawal from the EU gets closer.
Prime Minister Theresa May has agreed a deal with European leaders for the transitionary period that would follow Brexit, but is struggling to secure support from British parliamentarians and faces the prospect of a general election or a ‘no-deal Brexit’.
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