Brooke Bond and Typhoo embark on green route
Unilever-owned Van den Bergh Foods is launching a new range of green teas under the Brooke Bond label.
The tea-bag range, understood to be called tchaé, will come in three varieties: grapefruit, mint and oriental. It is expected to launch in the next few months through food retailers.
The move comes as Hillsdown-owned Premier Beverages launches a new green blend for its Typhoo brand as a healthy alternative.
Van den Bergh Foods, which makes the Brooke Bond PG Tips pyramid teabags, is also launching its first tea shop, called ch’a, in Brighton, which is likely to stock the green teas.
A spokeswoman for Van den Bergh says: “Branding goes beyond the in-house scenario. We are looking outside the home and building Brooke Bond in this direction – that’s our strategy.”
But two weeks ago, the food company scrapped its out-of-home business venture, the sale of ready-to-drink hot tea, coffee and chocolate in cans.
Rival Tetley Group also plans to roll out its tea shop, called Gaffer’s, in Manchester, which sells Tetley tea and Tetley teafolk merchandise.
Other food manufacturers are developing retail outlets through franchise deals. Nestlé is opening a national chain of coffee houses, called Café Nescafé, with Granada Road Services, among others (MW May 13).
