Following Seattle-based Starbucks Coffee Co.’s acquisition of Atlanta-based Teavana Holdings Inc. at the end of 2012, the tea industry is waiting for the hot tea segment to boom, according to experts.

In time for summer, Waterbury, Vt.-based Green Mountain Coffee Roasters (GMCR) added Donut House Sweet & Creamy Regular Iced Coffee K-Cup packs for the Keurig single-cup brewing system. Available in grocery stores nationwide, each Sweet & Creamy K-Cup pack is specially formulated to provide a balanced, creamy iced coffee, the company says.

ThéBü, a subsidiary of Makana Beverages Inc., launched its new and improved line of sparkling kombucha organic teas with probiotics in glass bottles.

Like companies across all categories within the beverage industry, players in the tea category are fighting for consumers’ attention.

Just before the end of 2012, The Hain Celestial Group, Melville, N.Y., acquired BluePrint, a raw juice brand based in New York.

In honor of its 20th anniversary, Kansas City, Mo.’s air-roasted coffee company, The Roasterie, launched The Roasterie Adventure, a photo contest in which participants can win a trip for two for coffee bean-picking in Costa Rica.

Steaz, a subsidiary of The Healthy Beverage Co., revealed rebranded packaging for its entire line.

From the heart of Brooklyn, N.Y., the home of Coney Island and the Brooklyn Bridge, comes RealBeanz, a ready-to-drink gourmet iced coffee company brimming with New York pride. The self-described “up-and-coming” brand plays off of the classic, artsy Brooklyn vibe to showcase its borough spirit and connect with its “kind of young, kind of hip, and kind of fresh” consumers in the 18- to 35-year-old demographic group, says Jenna Burke, director of public relations and social media for RealBeanz.

Starbucks Coffee Co., Seattle, announced plans to expand its $70 million comprehensive ethical sourcing program with a new farming research and development center in Costa Rica. These programs are part of Starbucks’ ongoing billion-dollar commitment to ethically sourcing 100 percent of its coffee by 2015, the company says.

The development of aloe drinks seems to be holding steady in the United States.