India’s Tea Trends Shift as Bengaluru Leads Consumption and Kochi Emerges as a Fast-Growing Market

India’s love for tea continues to evolve, with Bengaluru emerging as the country’s most tea-obsessed city, followed by Mumbai and Hyderabad. According to the latest Instamart data covering over 130 cities, the tech hub has overtaken its coffee-centric image, highlighting the enduring popularity of chai across major metros. Traditional favourites such as adrak chai, black tea, elaichi tea, green tea and masala chai remain the most ordered varieties nationwide.

While metropolitan cities continue to dominate overall consumption, smaller cities are driving the fastest growth. Bhubaneswar recorded a remarkable 64% year-on-year increase in tea orders, making it India’s fastest-growing tea market. Thiruvananthapuram and Kochi also featured prominently, signalling a shift in consumption patterns as quick-commerce platforms expand their reach and tea culture gains momentum beyond the country’s largest urban centres.

Consumer preferences are also changing with the rise of new flavours and formats. Ready-to-drink tea registered 109% annual growth, while peach tea emerged as the fastest-growing flavour with a 62-fold jump in demand. Wellness beverages such as tulsi tea, green tea and blue pea tea have gained popularity, alongside kombucha, which is increasingly moving from niche cafés into mainstream consumption. The findings suggest that while Indians continue to cherish classic chai, a new generation of tea trends is brewing across the country.

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