White, green, and oolong teas are very popular tea types in Asia, while black teas tend to dominate the western market. This is more out of habituation than anything else. Keeping in mind that tea has been consumed for thousands of years, it is a relative newcomer to the western palate. Originally all tea was green and over the centuries production techniques became more sophisticated and oolongs and black teas were developed. For this reason, green tea was still commonly consumed, and itself became more sophisticated, and now dominates Japan and is very present in the rest of the Pacific rim countries.

By the time Dutch traders spread tea to the rest of the world in the early 17th century, it was black tea that was traded, and became the de facto standard in western society. In modern times, appreciation for the health benefits of green teas has caused its consumption to increase dramatically in western countries, but it is still black tea that holds the lion’s share of the market outside Asia.