Tata Tea looks at a healthy alternative

Tata Tea is in the process of focusing on the connoisseur with its new launches.

At the focus of the initiative is the green tea bags launch, making it the first such at the national level. Sangeeta Talwar, executive director, marketing, Tata Tea, said green tea accounts for less than 1 per cent of the total market in the country.

Tata Tea is looking at promoting the product in a major way with a focus on the wellness aspect.

As part of the strategy, the company is eyeing tie-ups with fitness centres. The company would tie up with yoga centres, gyms, spas, airlines, fitness and health magazines, cosmetic brands, among others.

Talwar said the company would sell the product at the modern trade stores, owing to its positioning. She added that the initiative was a first.

Its major competitor sells green tea only in Jammu & Kashmir and Tata Tea plans to take it national. "We are in the process of launching the product in the top 30 markets of the country," said Talwar. Even though green tea is a small market in the country at present, in the UK, it accounts for 10 to 15 per cent of the total market.

Green tea apart, Tata Tea would also launch single-origin orthodox packets under the Tata Tea Gold brand.

The orthodox teas are being sourced from Ceylon, Darjeeling, Nilgiri and Assam.

"This is the first time that we are selling orthodox leaf," said Talwar.

The company sells a small quantity of orthodox tea under its Temptations brand.

More launches are on its way in the coming months. The company has decided to focus on the branded business, said Talwar.The company's domestic branded sales in the first half of the year were higher by 5 per cent in volume and 7 per cent in value.

Tata Tea hopes to maintain the same growth rate or better for the second half of the year.