Tata Tea enters branded cold drink market with `TiON'

Tata Tea has entered the branded cold drink market with launch of its cold beverage `TiON'.

The beverage is available in three flavors - Mango Rush, Peach Punch and Apple Buzz - and will initially be launched in Chennai, a Tata Tea press release said on Friday.

"This is a defining moment in the history of Tata Tea as it symbolises the transformative change taking place in the company," Tata Tea, executive director Sangeeta Talwar said in the release.
   
The 400 ml bottle has been competitively priced at Rs22, the release said.

Tata Tea, with operations in over 40 countries, has steadily been transforming itself from a company with primary focus on tea to a beverages company focusing on the wellness and health platform, the release said.

The Tata Tea group is the world's second largest global branded tea operation with a presence in over 60 countries. The prominent companies in the group are Tata Tea, the UK-based Tetley group and Tata Coffee.

Set up in 1964 as a joint venture with the UK-based James Finlay and Company, the group has operations in branded tea, bulk tea, coffee and other beverages, and also has plantations. The Tata Tea brand leads in volume market share in India while the Tetley brand is the second-largest teabag brand in the world. The group has interests in South African tea company Joekels Tea Packers and Polish tea brands Vitax and Flosana.