Why Haven’t I Seen Purple Tea Before?

Honestly, most people haven’t. Purple tea is still relatively new compared to traditional teas like green tea or black tea, which have been around globally for centuries and are deeply connected to daily habits in many cultures. Purple tea, on the other hand, only started gaining attention more recently, especially outside of Kenya where it’s mainly grown.

Part of the reason is simply production. Purple tea is still produced in much smaller amounts than black or green tea. Farmers are growing more of it now, but it’s nowhere near the scale of mainstream teas you see in every supermarket, hotel, café, or office kitchen. A lot of purple tea still stays within specialty tea markets, wellness-focused stores, or smaller online tea brands rather than large commercial distribution.

Awareness is another big factor. Most people grow up hearing about green tea, black tea, chamomile, or maybe matcha. Purple tea just hasn’t had the same level of exposure yet. Unless someone is really into tea, nutrition, wellness trends, or specialty foods, there’s a good chance they simply never come across it.

The name itself can also confuse people a little. Some assume it’s an herbal tea, artificially flavored tea, or something trendy that isn’t “real tea.” But once people learn it comes from the same tea plant as green and black tea, they usually get curious.

What’s interesting is that purple tea feels like it’s in that early stage where more people are slowly discovering it through social media, specialty cafés, wellness communities, and tea enthusiasts. It’s similar to how matcha felt years ago before it became much more mainstream globally.

And honestly, that rarity is part of the appeal for some people. When you first try purple tea, it can feel like discovering something a little different from the usual options. Same tea family, but smoother taste, different color, and a slightly more unique story behind it.

So if you’ve never seen purple tea before, that’s completely normal. It’s still making its way into the broader tea world, and compared to centuries-old tea traditions, it’s really just beginning to get wider attention.