Does Tea Go Bad? An In-Depth Look at Inventory Management

In 2022, we published a blog with our tips & tricks for properly storing your tea and increasing its longevity! We answered some of your frequently asked questions and provided brief guidelines for proper inventory practices. Since then, we’ve received further questions about maintaining freshness! To answer these recent FAQs, Caitlin Normann has gone more in-depth with her inventory management guide so you no longer need to ask yourself: Does tea go bad?

How to Ensure Freshness

To retain maximum freshness, store your tea in a dry, moisture-free environment and try to stay away from glass jars or see-through pouches to keep it out of direct sunlight. Additionally, avoid storing your tea adjacent to anything particularly fragrant. Strong odors can latch onto the leaves and alter their flavor. Lastly, some blends contain flowers, fruit pieces, or other ingredients that are attractive to bugs! Make sure to keep your teas in sealed, air-tight containers to steer clear of any unwanted pests.

Proper Tea Storage

At RTNY, we recommend storing your loose leaf teas in large tins. If these aren’t available to you, then just about any vessel is suitable, so long as air is kept out and the leaves aren’t exposed to direct light.

As for refrigeration, storing your tea in low or mild temperatures is fine. However, we strongly advise you do not store it directly in a fridge or cooler. Doing this exposes the leaves to condensation and can ultimately result in mold growth.

Storing Matcha

When you order matcha from RTNY, we send it with two-layered protection! We put the matcha inside of a foil pouch, and we put the foil pouch inside of a resealable kraft bag. Furthermore, the kraft bag is lined on the inside to aid with freshness. This will protect your matcha, so feel free to keep it stored in the bag you receive when your order arrives.

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Finally: Does Tea Go Bad?

Tea has a pretty impressive shelf life compared to roasted coffee. If you store your loose leaf in proper conditions, it can last for 1-2 years, depending on the processing method. Although tea doesn’t actually go bad, it will absolutely lose its flavor and freshness over an extended period of time. If you have any more questions about keeping your tea fresh or storing it properly, don’t hesitate to reach out!