Sinar Sosro Teh Botol Adopts New Plastic Packaging

If you live anywhere near Indonesia then you must have tried or at least know about Teh Botol, which literally translated to English means Tea Bottle. And that is exactly what it is, pure Jasmine Tea naturally flavored with Cane Sugar and packaged in glass bottles. Or at least that's what is was. I cant say exactly how long Teh Botol has been around in Indonesia but I can speculate that it is probably the highest selling non-alcholic beverage in the country. It is available at every restaurant and warung (street vendor) all over the country. Growing up in Jakarta there was not a day which went by that we did not pull over on the side of the road for a cold Teh Botol to quench the thirst.

Teh Botol is owned by Resko International who operate a variety of other businesses in Indonesia. They have experimented with a variety of different packaging for Teh Botol over the years including Tetra Pack and some versions of hot fill PET bottles we well. This is obviously to reduce cost of distribution. Having spent extended periods of time away from Indonesia I was relying on family and friends to supply me with all the goodies from home when visiting. I sampled some of the varieties in flexible packaging but none of them ever really hit the spot. The Teh Botol just did not taste the same.

But recently a friend supplied me with the latest edition of Teh Botol packaged in plastic PET bottles and I was super impressed. The bottle design first of all is a fantastic testament to the traditional glass bottle. They have not deviated from the original design but have made subtle changes which make the transition to plastic well balanced and attractive. They have also added a new variation with less sugar which is great because Teh Botol can be overly sweet for some people. And having tried them both, they taste equally good.

The label design however leaves something to be desired. Teh Botol has a gorgeous natural color so I do not see the value of having a full printed sleeve that is designed to look like the natural contents of the bottle. Also they have not introduced any modern elements to the logo or layout which is a conscious decision but not one I would completely agree with. Nevertheless, I am super stoked that SOSRO has dropped this new product for us which will allow them increase distribution, possibly boost export, and reduce their carbon foot print but shifting over to plastic from glass. Great product from a great company.