Indian Coffee House launches branded tea in collaboration with Priyadarshini Estate
KANNUR: The Indian Coffee House, the iconic worker-cooperative chain headquartered in Kannur, has launched its first branded tea. The product, made from tea leaves sourced exclusively from the state-owned Priyadarshini Tea Estate in Wayanad, was officially unveiled by Minister for Welfare of SCs, STs and OBCs O R Kelu.
In the initial phase, the cooperative has introduced 250g packets, priced at Rs 65, available for purchase at Indian Coffee House outlets.
“This move is part of our diversification strategy. Following the success of our coffee powder and bottled drinking water brands, we’re now expanding into tea. It’s not just a business initiative to increase revenue but also a means to support the Priyadarshini Tea Estate by providing them access to a broader market,” said Indian Coffee Workers’ Co-operative Society president Balakrishnan N.
Importantly, the same tea powder will now be used to prepare tea served across all Indian Coffee House outlets. “Customers will have the chance to taste the tea in our restaurants before choosing to purchase it.
Just as our coffee brand has been widely welcomed, we hope our branded tea will receive a similar response,” Balakrishnan added. He also confirmed that plans are under way for a second phase, which will include launching packets in different sizes and making the product available in supermarkets.
Founded in 1957 after the closure of British-run coffee houses by the Coffee Board of India, the Indian Coffee House movement became a pioneering model of worker-owned enterprise. In Kerala, the cooperative was first established in Kannur, which remains the nerve centre of operations, overseeing over 60 outlets across the state.
The launch of the tea brand is also part of a broader effort to revive the Priyadarshini Tea Estate, which was originally set up as a tribal rehabilitation project in Wayanad. The estate spans 543 acres, with 305 acres dedicated to tea cultivation.
Though its tea factory, which produces CTC tea, had closed in 2005 due to financial issues, the estate was revived in 2007 under a new management and has since become a popular tourist destination. While visitors could previously buy tea products directly from the estate, this new initiative marks Priyadarshini’s significant re-entry into the wider tea market.