Making chai cool again

DESPITE ITS NATIONWIDE appeal and consumption, legacy tea manufacturers have been facing challenges in the form of smaller regional players, margin pressures and a growing Gen Z consumer base that is experimenting with artisanal coffees and a range of functional drinks. Which is why the 133-year-old Wagh Bakri is trying to make tea drinking cool again!

- CHRISTINA MONIZ

Aside from launching its Royale blend this year, its first major product launch in the black tea category in nearly three decades, the brand also recently revamped its menu at its tea lounges, offering traditional staples with 'Instagrammable' bubble teas and fusion dishes combining Indian flavours with global influences.

Wagh Bakri has an annual turnover of over ₹2,000 crore with an estimated 9% market share. It is the third-largest tea manufacturer in the country, well behind big conglomerates such as Hindustan Unilever and Tata in that order. Although the brand enjoys significant market share in regions like Gujarat, Maharashtra and Rajasthan, Paras Desai, executive director, Wagh Bakri Tea Group says it is working towards strengthening its presence in the Northern markets to become a stronger national player.