Coca-Cola India has ventured into India’s ready-to-drink tea sector by launching ‘Honest Tea,’ a brand under Coca-Cola Company’s subsidiary, Honest. This move comes after establishing a collaboration with Luxmi Tea Co Private Ltd’s Makaibari Tea Estate in Kolkata, ensuring a supply of organic green tea for this fresh line of beverages. The formalisation of this partnership occurred during the Bengal Global Business Summit in Kolkata through the signing of a memorandum of understanding.
‘Honest Tea’ will debut with two variants: Lemon-Tulsi and Mango flavours of iced green tea. Coca-Cola’s strategy involves an initial launch in the southern and western states, with a gradual expansion across the nation anticipated by the summer of 2024. Priced at around Rs 50 for a 350ml bottle, this marks Coca-Cola’s impactful entry into India’s thriving healthy beverage market.
Karthik Subramanian, the Director of Marketing for the hydration, coffee, and tea category at Coca-Cola India and Southwest Asia, shared his enthusiasm for the launch of their new ready-to-drink iced green tea. In a statement, Subramanian expressed that they were excited to introduce the new ready-to-drink iced green tea, stating that through Honest Tea, they aimed to offer consumers a distinctive experience with a delightful green tea-based beverage.
The partnership forged between Coca-Cola and the prestigious Makaibari tea estate in Darjeeling seeks to harness Coca-Cola’s strong marketing and distribution abilities to promote Darjeeling tea. This collaboration holds promise as a potential lifeline for the challenged tea industry in Darjeeling, particularly given Coca-Cola’s potential to engage health-conscious younger consumers.
Rudra Chatterjee, Director of Luxmi Tea, highlighted Makaibari’s distinguished reputation, stating, “There is no greater tea estate in Darjeeling than Makaibari; it is the last word among teas, whether in Japan or England’s royal houses. It is also the choice of tea Satyajit Ray decided for his fictional detective character Feluda.”
The collaboration marks Coca-Cola’s return to the Indian market with Honest Tea, aligning with the shifting tastes of consumers who are increasingly inclined toward healthier drink choices.
