Tetley Enters the Tata Fold

It is common knowledge that the tea brand, Tata Tea, has quite a legacy in the Indian market. It is cherished by the people of the country and for many it has become a way of life. But how did it come to be? In 1989, R.K. Krishna Kumar, the managing director of Tata Tea, was keen on creating an international foothold for the company and had been pursuing Tetley for a while. The outcome came in the form of Tata Tetley Limited, which created a stronger bond with the international associates of the Tetley company. In Tetley Enters the Tata Fold, Harish Bhat, chairman of Tata Global Beverages and brand custodian, writes about the many hurdles that had to be overcome by the company in order expand its reach. This read is a spectacular tale of how Tata Tea tested the global waters for expansion. Bhat gives a vivid account of the acquisition of Tata Tea’s first international brand, which helped make the brand a global one.