Coca-Cola launches Fuze Tea in Europe
Fuze was initially launched in 2012 and achieved its status as one of Coca-Cola’s billion dollar brands in less than three years.
Fuze Tea is a fusion of fruit flavours, botanicals, tea extracts and other ingredients to create a ‘fresh, contemporary tea taste’ and premium alternative to other iced teas. The brand is already established in 40 markets worldwide including the US and Australia.
It is now being launched across Western, Central and Eastern Europe this month as part of Coca-Cola’s strategy to offer consumers more choice.
Fuze Tea escapes UK sugar tax
RTD tea is an important, fast-growing category worth £47m ($64m) in Great Britain, having grown 12% in the past year alone, according to figures from Nielsen.
Simon Harrison, operational marketing director GB, Coca-Cola European Partners, said the time is right to broaden the reach of its portfolio and take advantage of a ‘significant opportunity for growth’.
“Consumer tastes are changing, and we know people are looking for a greater number of options and choice in their drinks,” he said. “The launch of Fuze Tea is a fantastic opportunity for our business to provide new, more sophisticated flavors to more people in more places.”
Fuze Tea contains between 14 and 19 calories per 100ml, depending on the flavor, and is sweetened with stevia glycosides. Containing around 4 grams sugar per 100ml, it will escape the UK’s soft drinks industry which applies to drinks with 5g/100ml and above.
The UK launch will be supported with a £4m marketing campaign titled ‘Serve yourself a little me time’, encouraging consumers to unwind and refresh with Fuze Tea.
Flavors developed by R&D centre in Brussels
Fuze Tea is available in Black Tea Peach and Hibiscus, and Green Tea Mango and Chamomile.
The blends were developed at The Coca-Cola R&D centre in Brussels to appeal to evolving consumer preferences.
Coca-Cola says the tea extracts in Fuze Tea come from 100% sustainably sourced tea leaves, contributing to its target to sustainably source 100% of its key agricultural ingredients and raw materials by 2020.
