Charting a ‘Strong’ Growth

Presently holding the reputation of being one of the market leaders in the branded tea segment in India, Tata Global Beverages has almost 200 years of history and a heritage of consistent innovation and development

It all started when Tata Finlay was set up as a joint venture between Tata Sons and the UK-based tea plantation company, James Finlay and Company in 1962. In 1983 ,Tata Tea was incorporated after James Finlay sold his shareholding to Tata. The company soon acquired Tetley in 2000 which was followed by a series of strategic acquisitions including Good Earth, Jemca, Vitax, Eight O’ Clock Coffee and Himalayan Water. Today Tata Global Beverages is an integrated beverage business that is strengthening its presence in the branded good-for-you beverages through innovation, strategic acquisition and organic growth. Tata Global Beverages unites the beverage interests of Tata under one umbrella. This step marked the next logical step of its evolution from a history in plantations to becoming a marketing and brand focused organisation with a portfolio of strong consumer brands. Ajoy Misra, managing director and CEO, Tata Global Beverages, states, “We will focus on growing segments such as green tea, specialty teas, functional water and pods while continuing to strengthen our core markets and brands, based on key consumer trends. We remain committed to sustainable growth through innovation and strengthening our brands in key markets, in the face of a challenging market environment and economic volatility in some parts of the world.”

A green focus

Tata Global Beverages continues to strengthen its focus on the green tea category. Presently, the company has a portfolio of green tea brands across consumer segments in India, with Tetley Green Tea and Tata Tea Acti Green. In the UK, the company recently launched a range of Tetley Super Green Teas in various flavours. They are the first functional green teas in the UK with proven health benefits. The range consists of Tetley Super Green Tea Immune with added vitamin C for immune system support and Tetley Super Green Tea Boost with vitamin B6 to reduce tiredness. The ‘Quality Cuppa’ campaign in UK showcased Tetley’s tea blending expertise and reinforced its credentials in delivering quality products.

In Canada, a premium line of specialty teas, called the Tetley Signature collection was launched in January this year. This range is available in four flavours – High Tea ( black tea with vanilla), Keep Calm & Sip On (camomile, spearmint and orange), Mint To Be (peppermint, spearmint and apple mint), and Citrus Kiss (green tea with lemon and grapefruit).

Tetley is enjoyed in 70 countries worldwide and is the second largest tea brand globally. It is also the market leader in Canada. In the UK, Tetley is the brand leader in decaffeinated tea, and Tetley Green is the fastest-growing green tea brand. Innovations include the launch of Blend of Both in the UK, Infusions (a liquid real brew tea mix for water) in Canada, and the latest product Chai Latte in Australia, which is an indulgent tea drink, made with real spices and is low in caffeine but high in taste.

Wide variety

Tata Tea entered the India market more than 25 years ago and has now gained the reputation of being one of the market leaders in India with strong brands in its portfolio such as Tata Tea Gold, Tata Tea Premium, Kannan Devan, Chakra Gold, Agni and Gemini. Likewise, Good Earth has strengthened as a brand since its inception as a herbal and speciality tea business on the US west coast. It produces a wide range of premium teas, based on quality ingredients, and has a strong commitment to sustainability, producing a 100 per cent GM free range. The brand, which is synonymous with bold flavours, launched a marketing campaign that showcased the boldness of its products. The concept of ‘Tea Untamed’ was used to capture the essence of Good Earth by launching two tea flavors – Cocoa Tango and Sweetly Twisted.

Grand is one of Russia’s leading beverage brands, known for its coffee and tea products. While Vitax is a well-established and well-recognised brand in Poland popular for its flavoured fruit and herbal teas, all blended with high quality ingredients. It is currently building market share in the green tea segment and strengthening its position in the fruit tea category. Jemca, started back in 1958 as a tea packhouse in the small South-Moravian town of Jemnice, 200 km south east of Prague, is now the leading tea brand in the Czech Republic with a strong portfolio of black, green and fruit and herbal teas. Since 1945 Laager Rooibos, managed by Joekels Tea Packers has been one of South Africa’s most popular rooibos (redbush) tea brands. It is the second largest selling brand in South Africa and recently launched their first Rooibos Cappuccino, and milk shake in instant form called Laager SHAKE4KIDZ.