é is introducing its capsule tea system Special.T to consumers outside Europe for the first time, with the launch of the brand in Japan. The launch follows roll-out of the tea brewng system in French, Belgian, German and Swiss markets.The FMCG giant believes that the system's advanced technology, combined with its range of more than 25 varieties of tea selected from the top 1% of the world's tea farms will strongly appeal to Japanese consumers.
The range in Japan will include an additional green tea blend tailored to local consumers’ preferences, according to Nestlé.
“Japan is an important tea market with a lot of potential,” Pascal Lebailly, head of Nestlé's Special.T said. “Per capita consumption is up to five times higher than in any western European country, apart from the United Kingdom.
“Although Japan has a strong green tea drinking culture, other varieties such as black, blue, white, flavoured, or organic herbal are less well known,” he added.
Special.T is Nestlé’s third major innovation in capsule beverage systems, after Nespresso and Nescafé Dolce Gusto and utilizes an online e-commerce sales model.
The system, which identifies the tea variety and adjusts temperature and brewing time accordingly, will also be available to buy from a variety of retail outlets across Japan from September.
The launch comes as Nestlé Japan celebrates a century in the country.
