Functional teas offer growth potential for Unilever

Unilever will explore functional ingredients in teas as a major area of future product development at its Centre of Excellence for Drinks, launched at Colworth Science Park, Bedfordshire, on May 14.

Ingredients such as L-theanines and catechins were of particular interest, the company revealed. In addition, it said it wanted to work on building the strong aroma of fresh tea into the whole of its tea range. Phil Evans, chief executive of the centre, said: “We are working a lot on aroma; it’s important to bring to life the ingredients in tea.”

Unilever plans to develop six Centres of Excellence internationally for different product groups. It is opening its Centre for Excellence for liquid foods in Poland within a month.

The company had previously only focused on tea production and development at the Colworth site, but will now work on other drinks there, including its soya-based Adez brand. The centre employs 90 scientists and specialists from 15 countries.

The dual ability of theanines to energise and relax the mind to aid concentration has been recognised for some time. But Unilever believes this family of ingredients still has great potential to be incorporated into a range of products.

The global consumer products firm is also pouring cash into researching the activity of catechins on human body fat and their ability to promote weight loss as part of a healthy lifestyle.

Unilever is considering introducing GoRyoku, a green tea it currently sells in markets such as Japan, to the UK in early 2009. It is currently collecting data to justify making health claims for ingredients such products under the EU Nutrition & Health Claims regulation.

One of the obstacles Unilever needs to overcome to incorporate catechins into products is their bitter taste, it said.