Board plans tea parlours to spice up offtake

In a bid to lure the cola drinking population back to the cup of tea, the Tea Board, Coonoor, plans to set up tea parlours here through a private partnership.

Speaking to Business Standard, R D Nazeem, executive director, Tea Board, Coonoor, said, "The remarkable increase in the production level of tea from the southern region does not match with the low domestic consumption. To promote tea consumption, the board has plans to set up tea parlours, and accordingly we have granted a Rs 10.5 lakh subsidy to the Coonoor-based 'Tranquilitea', the first tea lounge set up in the Nilgiris."

The initial cost incurred in setting up such parlours or lounges would be borne by the board itself and the recurring expenses would be on a franchisee basis, Nazeem added.

Sandeep Subramani, chairman of Tranquilitea, which deals with the promotion of Nilgiri tea both as a beverage and a commodity, said that with this subsidy they will expand their operations to Ooty.

"The parlour at Ooty will be set up by the end of March 2006 and eventually we will be expanding our operations to other areas in the region," Sandeep added.

Apart from promoting tea as a commodity, Tranquilitea, the first to retail luxury teas, also plans to promote tea as a beverage by offering a range of pure teas, flavoured teas and chilled teas in its parlours.