Brazil: tea producers invest in new flavors.
Tea producers are investing R$8mil this year to develop new flavors. The Brazilian tea sales amounted to US$106mil in 1998. Oetker invested R$500,000 this year to launch new tea flavors. The company posted aturnover of R$45mil last year, of which R$9mil generated by tea sales, and it aims to increase tea sales by 10% this year. Parana-based Leao Junior, the number one tea producer in Brazil, will invest R$6mil this year in marketing and new products launch. The company forecasts anR$85mil turnover for 1999, up from R$70mil in 1998. Api-Nutre, based in Campinas, State of Sao Paulo, will launch a new tea flavor until the
of the year. The company is investing R$1.3mil this year to produce and promote new products. It posted a turnover of R$12mil in 1998, of which 50% generated by tea sales. It forecasts a turnover of R$20mil for 1999, of which 60% corresponding to tea sales. Moinhos Unidos Brasil Mate will launch 2 new tea brands into the market within the next weeks. RMB (Refinacoes de Milho Brasil) will also launch new products until the end of the year.