A Chinese beverage company has signed an agreement with a South
African partner to produce bottled herbal tea with the aim of
competing with soft drink giants such as Coke and Pepsi.
Hutchison Whampoa Guangzhou Baiyunshan Chinese Medicine Company
Limited and the FHC Group in South Africa signed a
20-million-US-dollar deal to set up a bottling plant and promote
the beverage in Africa, said Li Chuyuan, general manager of the
Chinese company based in the southern Guangdong Province.
Zhang Junxiu, director of the Guangdong Provincial Food and Drug
Industry Association, said the move is a milestone for promotion of
bottled herbal teas. He says overall production of bottled tea
surpassed Coca Cola in China last year.
Another Guangdong tea bottler company is planning to set up
plants in Brazil, said Zhang.
Bottled, chilled herbal tea has become increasingly popular
after being marketed as a healthy alternative to sugar-laden sodas.
The tea drinks are said to reduce "nei huo" or internal body heat
and are better at quenching thirst.
Herbal tea was included on the China's Intangible Heritage list
last year.
There are thousands of small herbal tea companies in
Guangdong.
Li Chuyuan said his company was optimistic sales of herbal tea
in Africa will take off as the beverage has become increasingly
popular on the continent.
(Xinhua News Agency June 14, 2007)