A healthy cup or two

For many Filipinos, tea is no longer drank only when one is very sick.

"Compared to other Asian countries, the local tea market is relatively small but the growth in the last 20 years has been phenomenal. Consumption has tripled because of increased awareness of tea’s nutritional and curative values," said Gilamar Enterprises vice-president for marketing Ephraim Young.

Gilamar started out in the 1980s as an importer of finished tea products, which it distributed to local groceries and supermarket. Three years ago, the company came up with its own brand called Gold Leaf, using the same distribution network it developed and nurtured for many years. The leaves are imported but the mix is done locally.

"Unlike the imported finished products, which cater to European tastes, our teas are geared towards the Filipino palate," said Young.

Gilamar markets Gold Leaf products such as the standard oolong, jasmine, green tea, and chamomile as caffeine-free herbal infusions, which have been approved by the Bureau of Food and Drug.

Its latest product is dandelion tea, which uses as its base a weed-like plant that is used mostly in salads. Imported from Germany, the dandelion is said to be good for anemia, constipation, digestive disorders, water retention problems and weight control.

Affordable

By importing dried tea leaves instead of the finished product, Gilamar has been able to bring down the price of the tea it distributes. At the retail level, the company’s Gold Leaf brand is priced at between P75 and P80 for a box of 25 sachets, depending on the outlet and the base material.

In terms of market positioning, Gilamar has chosen to focus on the mid-market, competing with higher-priced but aggressive brands like Lyon’s and Lipton, on the one hand, and with indigenous herbals like banaba and sambong, on the other hand. It has also chosen to promote tea among the youth market, the biggest patron of coffee shops, rather than the 40 years old and up market.

"Our most formidable competitors locally are the iced tea lines, juice drinks and sodas but we’re encouraged by two global trends. One, the worldwide scare on cancer and other debilitating diseases has helped promote tea as a lifestyle. Two, people are now beginning to prefer tea over carbonated and sweetened drinks if what they are looking for are antioxidants which remove impurities and unwanted acids and fats from their bodies," said Young.

Confident that tea drinking will grow at an even faster rate within the next five years, Gilamar is gearing up for expansion. As a first step, the single proprietorship will file its incorporation papers next year.