Energy drink Tzinga back on the shelves after food regulator’s nod

Variants re-launched in a new formulation

BENGALURU, AUGUST 18: 

Eleven months after withdrawing its energy drink Tzinga from the market, on the orders of food regulator FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India), Hector Beverages Pvt Ltd has re-launched the apple, lemon-mint and orange variants of Tzinga in a new formulation that complies with the FSSAI safety standards.

The company, which is popularly known for its Paper Boat range of ethnic beverages, will be re-launching the fourth variant of Tzinga - tropical trip, next month.

“Tzinga was withdrawn from the market last May on the orders of FSSAI. We have re-launched it last month after receiving the go ahead from FSSAI. Priced at ₹40 for a 250-ml pack, Tzinga is available in modern and general trade outlets across six metros - Bengaluru, Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Pune, Hyderabad; and in Assam,” Parvesh Debuka, Head of Marketing – Paper Boat, Hector Beverages, told BusinessLine.

Tried and tasted

FSSAI had declared Tzinga unsafe for consumption because the energy drink consisted of caffeine and ginseng (a compound extracted from a herb used in traditional Chinese medicine), which the regulator said cannot be used in energy drinks.

The reformulated Tzinga, which was approved by FSSAI a few months ago, is now available minus the ginseng.

Tzinga’s formulation was tried and tasted over 12 months in labs in Germany and Holland by some of the top scientists before it was launched by Hector Beverages in April 2010.

Today, Paper Boat, which was launched in 2013, is the company’s flagship brand with a range of Indian recipe based drinks such as Aamras, Aam Panna, Anar, Jamun Kala Khatta, Kokum and Chilli Guava, which are made without preservatives, added colours or carbonation.

Gift packs

Having entered the gifting segment for the Diwali season in 2014, Paper Boat has extended it to Raksha Bandhan this year with the launch of two gift packs priced at ₹250 and ₹150 in a sandook designed packaging. “The bigger gift pack has two packs of Aamras which is our highest grossing product contributing 22 per cent of sales, two packs of Anar which is the second most popular drink in our portfolio and two packs of Chilli Guava. The latter has four packs of Aamras and these gift packs will be available well into September until stocks last,” said Debuka.

On demand

Bowing to continued customer demand, Paper Boat also launched Aamras and Anar in Tetra Pak’s Tetra Prisma Aseptic 500 ml cartons with the re-sealable StreamCap last week.

A distribution partnership with Indo Nissin has taken Paper Boat to 30 upcountry markets, besides the six metros it is present in.

The company has raised $42 million to date and is backed by Catamaran, Footprint, Sequoia, Hillhouse, Sofina and some Angels.