Tea is often noted as being the most popular beverage in the entire world, consumed by millions of people on a daily basis. The majority of tea products come from the Camellia sinensis plant, although there are also many alternate teas in use that are referred to as herbal teas. One interesting trend over the last few years has been the resurgence of interest surrounding rare tea products and exotic tea variants, such as traditional Chinese teas, traditional Japanese teas, and teas from lesser known heritage plants. There has also been an increase in the awareness of herbal tea products, and an overall increase in the number of people enjoying tea in a ritual setting. In many ways, the popularity of rare tea products can be seen as an outgrowth of gourmet culture, where people around the world are becoming more educated about exotic food, wine, coffee, and tea products.

In many cultures around the world, tea is often associated with high class environments and settings, and enjoyed at special events. However, in other parts of the world, it is also a common drink for the regular population and enjoyed several times a day with meals and during breaks. Tea is popular around most of the world, including the Middle East, Asia, and Europe. While it is not particularly popular in North America, it is still enjoyed by millions of people there on a regular basis. Much of the interest around rare tea products comes from the fact that people are now aware of other cultures and their tea related traditions. Rare tea is also often associated with tea ceremonies and special events, such as the traditional tea ceremony in Japan.

Some examples of rare and semi rare tea products that are becoming more popular in the west include green tea, Oolong tea, and Pu-erh tea. It is also becoming much more common for tea consumers to blend different leaves and materials in order to come up with an ideal personal blend. In many ways, the increase in popularity surrounding tea mirrors the same kind of thing which has surrounding gourmet food culture over the last couple of decades. Gourmet tea retailers are also becoming more common in major centres, much like gourmet coffee shops and food outlets that sell exotic and rare products.