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Dilmah Craft Iced Tea, produced by MJF Beverage Partnership, launched a social media campaign titled “Ready for Real?” to highlight its artisanal production. The product is made from handpicked Ceylon tea leaves directly from Sri Lanka’s tea gardens, brewed on-site at Rilhena Estate. It retains the freshness and flavor of real Ceylon tea, rich in antioxidants and polyphenols.
Today’s focus is on a premium ready‑to‑drink (RTD) tea launch that could reshape shelf strategy for distributors and on‑premise buyers alike. Dilmah Craft Iced Tea has unveiled its “Ready for Real?” campaign, positioning the brand as an authentic, single‑origin product built on handpicked Ceylon leaves and on‑site brewing. The story offers a clear example of how premium RTD offerings can leverage provenance to capture niche market share in specialty channels.
Dilmah’s new campaign emphasizes authenticity—handpicked leaves from Sri Lanka’s Rilhena Estate, brewed into concentrate within hours to lock in flavor and antioxidants. The brand has already entered more than 25 countries, a footprint that aligns with the growing premium RTD tea segment.
The global RT‑to‑drink tea market was valued at $24.7 billion in 2023 and is projected to grow at a 5.8 % CAGR through 2030. Within this landscape, 62 percent of U.S. consumers prefer clean‑label ingredients—a preference that Dilmah’s single‑origin story directly addresses. Premium tea accounts for roughly 18 % of global tea sales by value, so the brand’s focus on specialty outlets is a deliberate move to capture that niche.
In March 2026, Dilmah Craft Iced Tea received a prestigious award in Poland, confirming its resonance with consumers who prioritize origin transparency—38 percent of global tea drinkers say origin drives purchase. The award also highlights the brand’s potential for growth in Europe, where RTD tea sales grew 4.3 % year‑over‑year in 2024, especially in Eastern regions.
For distributors, Dilmah offers a high‑margin, low‑volume addition that can be paired with other single‑origin or ethically sourced teas. Positioning it alongside premium spirits and craft cocktails—where origin transparency is prized—can reinforce its clean‑label narrative on the shelf. On‑premise venues may pair the iced tea with house‑made mixers to create a story of authenticity that appeals to guests seeking ingredient sourcing clarity.
The “Ready for Real?” launch demonstrates how a vertically integrated, handpicked product can carve out specialty market share in an increasingly competitive RTD landscape. By aligning its brand narrative with consumer demand for clean labels and origin transparency, Dilmah positions itself as a premium option that distributors and on‑premise buyers can confidently add to their portfolios.
Original Press Release
MJF Beverage Partnership is delighted to share its new social media campaign for 2026, “Ready for Real?”, showcasing the artisan processes and traditional production that are fundamental to Dilmah Craft Iced Tea.
The campaign asks consumers if they are “Ready for Real?”, referring to the authenticity and natural goodness of Dilmah Craft Iced Tea, which is made from handpicked Ceylon Tea leaves direct from the tea gardens of Sri Lanka.
Each tea leaf used to make Dilmah Craft Iced Tea has been individually handpicked from its tea gardens in Sri Lanka. Within hours, it is brewed into a high-quality Ceylon tea concentrate on-site at Dilmah’s Rilhena Estate manufacturing plant. This commitment to traditional, artisan tea production methods means that, unlike other iced tea products on the market, Dilmah Craft Iced Tea retains all the freshness and flavour of real Ceylon tea, rich in healthy antioxidants and polyphenols.
There is enormous potential for beverages containing real tea in the global beverage market. Dilmah Craft Iced Tea combines the endlessly complex flavors of Ceylon Tea with a range of appetising pairings to bring Dilmah’s heritage of quality and authenticity into the iced tea category.
Each sip of Dilmah Craft Iced Tea expresses Dilmah founder Merrill J. Fernando’s lifetime of devotion to tea, bringing decades of knowledge and understanding of Camellia sinensis to a new beverage category for a new generation of consumers. Dilmah’s values are supported throughout the entire production process, from hand-picked tea leaves to the chilled, delicious end product.
As we expand into new markets, the “Ready for Real?” campaign marks an important step in sharing our message with new consumers around the world—celebrating transparency, authenticity, and the natural goodness of Ceylon Tea.
Moshy Cohen, CEO at BPI, commented: “I’m delighted to present our 2026 campaign, ‘Ready for Real?’. Dilmah Craft Iced Tea brings a moment of Sri Lanka to consumers all across the world. Dilmah, with its unique proposition of real iced tea, brings a strong differentiation point into the iced tea category. The Dilmah brand, with its heritage of quality and authenticity, is in a great position to expand into new beverage categories and reach new consumers.”
Dilmah Craft Iced Tea is the original iced tea produced using Ceylon Tea. Since its launch in 2021, it has quickly become a leader in the global craft iced tea category. It is currently sold in more than 25 countries.
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- New Dilmah Craft Iced Tea Campaign Celebrates The Enduring Appeal Of…
- New Dilmah Iced Tea Campaign For 2024 Showcases The Magic Of Sri Lanka
- Dilmah Craft Iced Tea Receives Prestigious Award
- Bpi Celebrates The Launch Of Dilmah Iced Tea In Georgia With Georgian…
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Source: BevNET