Aware of hidden agendas, people no longer believe in the possibility of absolute truth or complete transparency from institutions, public figures, and individuals. Yet they are still drawn to honesty, integrity, and – at times – even vulnerability, which they expect from peers and brands alike.

Whether coffee or chocolate, pizza or pencils, connoisseurship has become a pastime for the masses. But if anyone can become a connoisseur of anything, will the concept lose its mystique?

Tea has never been so popular in Australia, with people switching from traditional Tetley and Lipton to speciality leaves and fruity brews. With the largest range from around the world and staff to inspire and educate, T2 is taking the tea world by storm, turning customers into devotees.

Tea is second only to water in terms of the number of people drinking it worldwide. The British alone drink over 165 million cups every day. But can single-batch tea grower Lalani & Co convince Brits to hand over their mugs of builders’ and become a nation of tea connoisseurs?

Just like beer before it, spirits are getting the craft treatment. Tapping into the emphasis on quality over quantity, Diageo has launched an accelerator programme to raise the next generation of craft distilleries. But why isn’t Diageo just creating its own premium brand?

Big brands are trying to pin down a formula to marry consumers’ growing interest in local products and their fascination with foreign specialties. In the US, Guinness is launching a series of “fusion brews” mixing local knowledge with the brand’s Irish know-how.

The craft bean-to-bar movement has created a deep appreciation for quality chocolate in the US. But now craft chocolatiers are shifting focus to the ancient techniques of the Aztecs and Mayans to create a dairy-free, low-fat bar. And some chocolate lovers can't get enough.

You drink almond milk, eat soya yogurt and gorge on free-from cheese. So how does a sweet-toothed dairy-phobe get a milk chocolate fix without resorting to notoriously poor-tasting vegan alternatives? Ombar is hoping its Coco ‘Mylk’ Buttons are the perfect dairy-free treat.

The raw food movement isn't clear-cut; some are keen to keep it simple, others want to elevate it to gourmet grub. But with an abundance of products labelled raw in health food stores, has ‘raw’ become a label in itself? Who are these raw foodies and why do they prefer their food uncooked?