美國茶葉進口量首超英國

The US imported more tea than the UK last year for the first time, as an increasing number of young American consumers are choosing the brew over coffee.

隨着越來越多的美國年輕消費者選擇喝茶而不是咖啡，去年美國的茶葉進口量首次超過英國。

US imports of tea have risen 30 per cent by volume in the past decade, according to data from the InterNational Trade Centre. Imports totalled 129,166 tonnes in 2014, compared with the UK’s 126,512 tonnes.

國際貿易中心(International Trade Centre)的數據顯示，過去十年美國茶葉進口量增長了30%。2014年，美國總共進口了129166噸茶葉，英國則進口了126512噸。

In the UK — still one of the leading tea consuming nations — sales are declining, with imports falling 20 per cent in the past decade.

雖然英國仍是領先的茶葉消費國之一，但在英國，茶葉銷量卻在下降。過去十年，英國茶葉進口量下降了20%。

Peter Goggi, president of the Tea Association of the USA, said the increase in tea consumption was most pronounced among those aged between 16 and 26. “What we’re seeing is the message that tea is good for your health has really permeated,” he said.

美國茶葉協會(Tea Association)主席彼得•戈吉(Peter Goggi)表示，茶葉消費量增長在16歲到26歲人羣當中體現得最明顯。他說：“我們發現，喝茶有益健康的理念確實已被廣泛接受。”

A survey by pollster YouGov in the US also highlighted the rising popularity of tea among younger consumers. It found that coffee and tea were equally popular among 18 to 29-year-old people but 62 per cent of 45 to 64-year-old people and 70 per cent of over-65s preferred coffee.

民意調查公司YouGov在美國開展的一項調查也突顯出，茶葉在較年輕消費者當中越來越受歡迎。該公司發現，在18歲到29歲人羣當中，咖啡與茶的受歡迎度是相等的。但在45歲到64歲人羣當中，62%的人更喜歡喝咖啡。在65歲以上人羣當中，選擇咖啡的比例達到70%。

Iced tea has always dominated the tea category in the US but anecdotal evidence suggests consumption of hot tea is on the rise.

在美國茶類飲料中，冰茶一直占主導地位。不過坊間證據顯示，熱茶消費量正在增長。

Tea shops are popping up nationwide, with the drink emerging as a low-fat beverage of choice. Starbucks moved into tea by buying Teavana, a speciality company, in 2012.

隨着茶飲日益成爲一種低脂飲料選擇，茶店正在美國各地迅速涌現。2012年，星巴克(Starbuck)通過收購專營茶飲的公司Teavana進入了茶飲市場。

The rise in tea consumption in the US comes as coffee drinking is on the wane. According to the National Coffee Association’s latest annual survey, 59 per cent of Americans said they drank a cup of coffee a day, down from 61 per cent in 2014 and 63 per cent in 2013.

在美國茶葉消費量增長之際，咖啡消費量卻在減少。美國國家咖啡協會(National Coffee Association)最新年度調查報告顯示，59%的美國人表示他們每天會喝一杯咖啡，這一比例低於2014年的61%，也低於2013年的63%。

This is bad news for coffee traders already fretting about the fall in arabica bean prices.

對於已經在爲阿拉比卡咖啡豆價格下跌感到擔憂的咖啡交易商來說，這可是個壞消息。

In the UK more people are turning to coffee. Tea consumption has fallen steadily from 1.6kg per person in 2009 to 1.4kg in 2014, compared with a rise in coffee usage from 0.9kg per person to 1.2kg over the same period.

而在英國，更多的人則在轉向咖啡。2009年到2014年，英國年人均茶葉消費量已從1.6公斤穩步降至1.4公斤；同一時期，年人均咖啡消費量卻從0.9公斤升至1.2公斤。