PTPN Group and Suntory Garuda Open New Market: First Export of Indonesian Oolong Tea to Vietnam

JAKARTA, Aug. 8, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- PT Perkebunan Nusantara (PTPN) Group, in collaboration with PT Suntory Garuda Beverage, has successfully embarked on its maiden export of Oolong tea to Vietnam for Suntory Pepsico Vietnam Beverage. This milestone marks the beginning of a strategic collaboration between the two corporations to supply high-quality raw materials for ready-to-drink (RTD) beverages across Asia.

The collaboration of Suntory and PTPN gave Suntory access to one of the largest plantation holdings in Indonesia with commercial and operational excellence. PTPN stood to benefit from Suntory's global know-how and world-renowned expertise as a manufacturer of beverages, especially oolong tea by committing to follow sustainable agricultural methods and adheres to international quality standards to ensure the excellence of the product

Oolong tea, known for its unique characteristics and smooth flavor, was carefully selected as the export commodity in response to market demand. Dwi Sutoro, the Marketing Director of PTPN Group, emphasized the company's commitment to producing the market-oriented tea products. "This is our first experience in producing Oolong tea. We ventured into this production due to specific market demands, and we have the expertise to develop all types of tea according to buyers' requests," he stated.

PTPN Group manages over 23,000 hectares of tea plantations in Indonesia, making it one of the largest tea plantation companies globally, with an annual production capacity of 50,000 tons or accounting for 40% of the national production. Apart from Oolong tea, PTPN Group also offers black tea (orthodox and CTC), green tea, and white tea. The company owns several retail tea brands, including Nusakita, Walini, Teh Kayu Aro, Goalpara, Rollas, Kaligua, Gunung Dempo, Semugih, and Tobasari.

The export of Oolong tea to Vietnam will be utilized by Suntory to create ready-to-drink products in the Asian market. Suntory, a Japanese consumer packaged goods company established in 1923, is renowned for its leading packaged beverage brands such as TEA+, Ribena, and Okky Jelly Drink.

Neeraj Kumar Goyal, CEO of Suntory Garuda Beverage, emphasized the importance of using high-quality raw materials. "At Suntory, we are always striving to employ better and more innovative methods to cater to various tastes and healthy lifestyles worldwide," Neeraj said. "Our partnership with PTPN is part of our commitment to share our global know-how to ensuring the high-quality products to our consumers."

The collaboration for the export of Oolong tea began in 2021 and underwent various preparation stages, including trials, assessments, and audits. The Oolong tea produced by PTPN Group has met the Indonesian National Standard (SNI) and passed pesticide content assessment with 268 required active ingredients. Additionally, the product has also passed heavy metal content assessment (Cd, Pb, Sn, Hg, and As) and microbiological content assessment (TPC, Coliform, Yeast, and Mould).

Beforehand, the black tea product manufactured by PTPN Group had expanded its presence in the international market, reaching various countries including Pakistan, Russia, Malaysia, East Asia, the Middle East, US, and Europe. The product has successfully complied with the food safety standards mandated by each respective country. Moreover, there is an ongoing effort to boost the production of green tea, particularly in the plantations situated in the Sumatra region, in response to market demands.

This inaugural export is expected to open up new business opportunities for PTPN Group, Suntory, and other multinational companies while providing economic benefits to the country. For information about tea business opportunities with PTPN Group, inquiries can be directed to [email protected]. Furthermore, this collaboration is anticipated to promote the export of high-quality Indonesian tea products to the international market, showcasing the richness and allure of Indonesian tea.

SOURCE PT Perkebunan Nusantara III (Persero)