Lion NZ has acquired Kiwi drinks brand, Teza Iced Teas, as it further expands its non-alcoholic beverage portfolio.
Teza will join Lion drinks portfolio which includes GoodBuzz Kombucha, Hopt and Mac’s Soda. The beverage will be added to the company’s non-alcoholic division, Drinks Collective. Earlier this month the division announced a new strategic partnership with flavoured sparkling water start-up, Vista.
“The iced tea market is in strong growth globally so we’re incredibly excited to welcome Teza Iced Teas into the Drinks Collective. The brand’s premium offering complements our existing range nicely and will help us deliver greater choice and convenience for consumers across more social occasions. We’ll be leveraging our networks to make the brand more readily available nationwide and the Teza Grassy Tea Bush Van will also be making a return to the streets of NZ,” Stefan Gray, general manager, Drinks Collective said.
“I think typically people associate Lion with alcohol products and don’t realise what an amazing non-alcoholic beverage offering we have – from coffee and juices to low sugar sodas and Kombucha. We have big plans to grow the Drinks Collective as part of our commitment to meeting the evolving world of sociability and by 2025 at least 10 per cent of Lion’s sales will come from our non-alcoholic range.”
Teza Iced Teas is part of Greenstone Drinks Company. Under the new acquisition, Lion’s Drinks Collective will be in full control of the Teza brand and associated assets but Greenstone Drinks Co founders Joe Gehrke and Daphne Raj will still be involved in the brand as they will see the distribution of Teza for Lion in the Australian market via Greenstone.
“We created Teza when we moved home from our stint in the UK. We noticed a real gap in the market for a premium, more natural iced tea offering and are proud of the growth we’ve achieved for the brand so far, including Australia, Japan, and South Korea. We’re thrilled to pass the Teza brand on to Lion who has a proven track record of nurturing and growing strong brands in the Kiwi market. Under Lion, Teza can be taken to the next level,” Teza founder Joe Gehrke, said.
