Is Honest Tea Vegan?
It Depends
Not certifiedHonest Tea was a line of organic, lightly sweetened bottled iced teas sold under Coca-Cola until the brand was discontinued at the end of 2022. Most flavors, Raspberry, Peach, Half Tea and Half Lemonade, Unsweet Lemon, Pomegranate Blue, Orange Mango, were sweetened with organic cane sugar or agave and contained no animal ingredients. One flavor, Honey Green Tea, explicitly listed organic honey as an ingredient, making it not vegan. If you find old stock or are researching the line, the verdict splits entirely by flavor.
The catch: The Honey Green Tea flavor contains real organic honey, listed plainly on the label. Every other flavor in the lineup is free of animal ingredients.
Category
Drinks
Verdict
It Depends
Brand
Honest Tea (Coca-Cola)
Honest Tea was discontinued by Coca-Cola on December 31, 2022, so no new production has happened since then. Remaining stock still appears at some retailers and on Amazon as of 2025-2026.
The Honey Green Tea contained: brewed green tea, fair trade organic cane sugar, organic honey, organic and natural flavor, ascorbic acid, and citric acid. Honey is the sole animal-derived ingredient across the entire lineup, and it appeared only in that one SKU.
All other flavors checked (Raspberry, Peach Oo-La-Long, Half Tea and Half Lemonade, Unsweet Lemon, Pomegranate Blue, Orange Mango) used only plant-based sweeteners (cane sugar, agave, or no added sugar) and fruit-derived flavors. Natural flavors in the non-honey varieties are a theoretical gray area, but Honest Tea used USDA Organic certification which restricts artificial or animal-sourced flavor ingredients, so the risk is low.
What makes it non-vegan
- ✕organic honey
Vegan alternatives
- ✓ Just Ice Tea Green Tea (agave-sweetened, no honey)
- ✓ Tejava Original Unsweetened Black Tea
- ✓ Gold Peak Unsweetened Tea
- ✓ Tazo Organic Iced Green Tea
- ✓ Pure Leaf Unsweetened Tea
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Looking to make your own? Browse our vegan swaps.
Other drinks
Frequently asked
Is Honest Tea Vegan?
Honest Tea was a line of organic, lightly sweetened bottled iced teas sold under Coca-Cola until the brand was discontinued at the end of 2022. Most flavors, Raspberry, Peach, Half Tea and Half Lemonade, Unsweet Lemon, Pomegranate Blue, Orange Mango, were sweetened with organic cane sugar or agave and contained no animal ingredients. One flavor, Honey Green Tea, explicitly listed organic honey as an ingredient, making it not vegan. If you find old stock or are researching the line, the verdict splits entirely by flavor.
What is the catch with Honest Tea?
The Honey Green Tea flavor contains real organic honey, listed plainly on the label. Every other flavor in the lineup is free of animal ingredients.
What can I use instead of Honest Tea?
Vegan options include Just Ice Tea Green Tea (agave-sweetened, no honey), Tejava Original Unsweetened Black Tea, Gold Peak Unsweetened Tea, Tazo Organic Iced Green Tea.
Is Honest Tea certified vegan?
Honest Tea does not carry a third-party vegan certification, so the verdict here is based on its current ingredient list and manufacturer information.
Sources
Last verified June 20, 2026. See how we verify. Always confirm on the current product label, since recipes change. Product photo via Open Food Facts.
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