The New Wave of Workplace Beverages
The office beverage scene has changed a lot over the last few years. People still love their coffee, but more employees are also reaching for drinks that feel lighter, more functional, or just a little different from the usual options.
From sparkling prebiotic sodas to organic teas and botanical blends, beverages have become a bigger part of workplace wellness and everyday routines. People are paying closer attention to ingredients, flavor combinations, and how drinks make them feel throughout the day.
This month, we’re highlighting a few brands that are helping shape that shift: Rishi Tea, Numi Organic Tea, and Wildwonder. Along with bringing something different to the table, these brands also reflect the influence of AAPI founders, flavors, and tea traditions that continue to impact today’s beverage trends in a big way.
Tea Is Having a Bigger Moment Than Ever
Tea has moved far beyond the standard black tea packets sitting in the office kitchen drawer. Employees are becoming more interested in drinks that feel intentional, refreshing, and easy to fit into different parts of the workday.
That’s part of why brands like Rishi Tea and Numi Organic Tea continue to stand out. Both brands bring a more modern approach to tea, offering blends that feel closer to what you’d find at a specialty café than a traditional office setup.
Rishi Tea is known for its bold botanical blends, matcha offerings, and unique flavor combinations that make tea feel more elevated and current. Whether it’s something energizing for the morning or calming for an afternoon reset, their lineup goes beyond the basics.
Numi Organic Tea takes a similar approach with organic teas and globally inspired flavors that add more variety to the workday. Instead of sticking to the expected, the brand leans into ingredients and combinations that feel more interesting and approachable for people looking to switch things up.
A lot of the flavors and wellness habits showing up in beverage culture right now aren’t exactly new either. Tea traditions, herbal ingredients, and functional botanicals have long been part of many AAPI communities and cultures, and brands like these are helping introduce those influences to a wider audience in a more everyday way.
Functional Drinks Are Becoming the New Afternoon Pick-Me-Up
The rise of functional beverages has also completely changed what people are stocking in office pantries and breakrooms.
Instead of automatically reaching for another coffee or energy drink during the afternoon slump, more people are looking for drinks that feel refreshing without being overly heavy or sugary. That’s where brands like Wildwonder come in.
Wildwonder blends fruit flavors, herbs, and prebiotics into sparkling drinks that feel more fun and casual than the typical wellness beverage. The brand was inspired by founder Rosa Li’s childhood memories and the herbal drinks her grandmother made growing up, which gives the drinks a more personal and culturally connected feel without taking themselves too seriously.
The category itself has exploded recently because people want options that fit different moods throughout the day. Sometimes that’s coffee. Sometimes it’s tea. Sometimes it’s something sparkling that feels lighter but still gives you a little reset between meetings.
The Breakroom Is Expanding Beyond “Coffee Only”
One of the biggest workplace trends right now is simply giving employees more variety. Not everyone wants the same drink every day, and offering different options can make the breakroom feel more modern, flexible, and inclusive overall.
Brands like Rishi Tea, Numi Organic Tea, and Wildwonder reflect that shift perfectly. They bring in different flavors, different routines, and different ways for people to recharge throughout the workday.
And while coffee will probably always be the center of most office beverage programs, it’s clear that tea, botanicals, and functional drinks are becoming a much bigger part of the conversation. Because sometimes the best breakroom upgrade is simply having more options people are excited to reach for.
