15 Jun 2021 Tetley launches chai tea range in SA

Tetley’s new Masala Chai and Elaichi Chai aim to fill the gap in the South African market for high-quality spice teas.  

“The rich flavour of India’s Chai (teas), with their aromatic and warming Masala and Elaichi flavours, has become a global phenomenon, and is also engrained in the memory and traditions of many South Africans,” explains Vilendrie Muthulingum, Joekels Technical Manager.

“For me personally, the Tetley Chai flavours remind me of the comfort of home, and we want to share this same welcoming flavour with the rest of the country.”

The term “Chai” is a Hindi word, which is based on the Chinese word for tea, cha. The folklore of Chai teas dates back more than 5 000 years to India, China and Japan, with the beverage prepared using a variety of spices differing from region to region and consumed either hot or cold.

Ingrained in Indian culture, Chai is enjoyed everywhere from the roadsides to top-class establishments, and is traditionally prepared by boiling milk together with spices and sweetening with sugar.

Masala Chai, made from a blend of spices including cinnamon, cardamom and ginger, while Elaichi Chai also incorporates the popular and aromatic cardamom spice.

To further showcase these new teas, Tetley has brought South African chef, food blogger, radio personality and winner of Masterchef South Africa, Kamini Pather, on board.

She will be developing delicious Tetley Spice Tea recipes using the latest range. These will be made available on the Tetley Facebook and Instagram pages (@TetleyTeaSA).

Tetley brand owner in SA, Joekels is 51% owned by Tetley.

For more information, visit www.joekels.co.za.