Basilur - Talk of Tea

 

Looking up from my laptop, I took another two sips of my strawberry and cream green tea, one of many firsts for me. Tantalising aromas painting pictures of my favourite fruit, I smiled as I delved into the details of the tea that refreshed and pleased. Born in a land which produces the world´s finest tea, Sri Lanka, comes a brand that manages to achieve perfection of taste, aroma and packaging. Basilur is a name synonymous with delectable tea to make your day a pretty darn good one. 

 

Creating unique blends of tea with the most exotic ingredients, experience a variety of flavours, natural fruits and herbs, and make every tea drinking experience more unique and joyful. Having identified the need for a niche tea market, Basilur believes in differentiation and innovation and hits the nail on both.

 

Taking their products in my hand, I took a moment to appreciate the rigour that the brand has invested in the design of each product, accentuating luxury, finesse and exclusivity. Each product is said to depict a story of culture, a story of value and a story of a bygone era, modernised to fit today´s discerning tea drinkers. Each tea bag is carefully covered with a foil envelope while the loose leaf tea comes in a foil pouch with a zipper lock ensuring that the freshness is secured right to your tea cup. With that in mind, we attempt to refresh you with a tea tale.

 

Basilur has a tea to suit each time of the day, each mood of the mind and a desire to fulfil the needs of a diverse clientele in every part of the world. Basilur´s packaging and exterior is designed to suit the product it carries and the story each product range depicts. The Island of Tea range, for example, is designed in the shape of Sri Lanka. The range includes teas from different parts of the country showcasing versatile characteristics and culture. Many more product ranges unfold a story of their own. With teas from different regions of Ceylon, unique tastes and characteristics synonymous with each region, go ahead and sip on some of the world famous such as Dimbula, Nuwara Eliya and Uva.

 

In a conversation with the team I tried to understand the need for specialisation in a market cluttered with caffeine and other alternatives. Created to fill a gap in the tea market where a huge opportunity existed for specialty or gift products which could be offered in a completely unique and innovative way, the brand offers tea and herbal infusions in high-quality, decorative metal tin caddies with distinctive shapes and artistic designs, housing exquisite tea blends. “We achieve a sustainable competitive advantage by delivering benefits that exceed those of other tea products and thus create superior profits for our distributors and for us. This has made us a clear leader in ‘differentiation’,” said Mr Hemantha Perera, director marketing, Basilur Tea Export (Pvt) Ltd.

 

Discovering that many other high-end tea products lacked any novel ideas in either packaging or in their tea blends, Mr Perera found that most of the tea brands have been using very similar packaging with just their individual branding on them. So how does a consumer decide which one to buy? Or even more, how does one stand out in such a cluttered market? The answer somehow, lies and branding and visual marketing.

 

“In the upscale niche market segment, people do not hesitate to spend $1 or $2 more if they see something extraordinary and special. This is what prompted us to strive for a new concept of exclusive teas in innovative and creative packaging,” said Mr Perera. With distributors being given a product that no one else has, there is a smile creeping up on the face of consumers, and distributors too who have a bargaining power that is exceptionally strong against competitors.

 

Bringing the wholesome goodness of tea to India after having a massive presence internationally, I can already tick off some of the best places in Mumbai that are retailing the brand to an increasing circle of loyal consumers. Wishing to expand their sales into each corner of the world, India was not an exception. India has always been a tea drinking nation, and now has a growing number of discerning consumers who demand the world’s best. Mr Perera simply catered to this demand.

 

Basilur’s collection of flavours personally got me on the green tea bandwagon too. With flavours ranging from Cranberry, Wolf berry / Goji Berry, Blood Orange, Irish Cream and even Aloe Vera, I am sure it won’t be long before you have picked out your favourites too. Ask Mr Perera and he is quick to state, “The ‘favourite’ is personal and will depend on each person’s palate and his/her very personal preferences. Me, as one individual, like Basilur Mango and Pineapple blend with a hint of sweetener.” 

 

For me, as a novice tea drinker and being a woman, the bouquet collection extremely appealed to me for all the obvious reasons. A delightful experience of special green teas masterfully blended with the sweet, subtle flavour of berries and cream, and a light base of flower petals to create this particular range, it always makes for a cup of tea that is deep and rich, and imbibed in exotic flower petals for an aromatic and romantic experience! Before voting for the strawberry and cream flavour, I also experimented with the lilac sensation flavour for about two months. Perfectly smooth with a maestro blend of smooth and sour, it does perfect justice to the aromas and tastes of lilac, and anyone with an affinity for the flower should have at least two of these tin caddies in their cupboard. 

 

I also tried their two layer caddies which has two flavors in one box, so you can sample whichever your mood leaned towards. Being my first interaction with the brand, I played it safe with the simply classic green tea. But it was the Jasmine Tea that pushed my ‘safe’ area a little and got me relaxed with the fresh scent and strangely soothing impact that the first couple of sips had on me. And then I was hooked.

 

While exceptional quality and superior packaging does rule their game, the team at Basilur also believes in consistency and further innovation which will make them the number one choice amongst tea connoisseurs around the globe. Basilur continues its journey to be the most unique and versatile brand in terms of its products and intricately designed exterior. An attempt to position themselves as not only a fine Sri Lankan product which carries the finest teas on earth, but also a distinguished way of life and an epitome of versatility has gotten the brand a long way. With over 90 different blends of tea and 200 delectable products, Basilur is in Mumbai to take over your palates!