The Procter & Gamble Company (P&G) today [Wednesday] announced that Wuxi Green Power Bio-Products (Green Power) will be the exclusive Chinese licensee for P&G’s solvent-free green tea processing technology, which produces less bitter extracts with lighter color, better clarity and high concentrations of the anti-oxidant polyphenol.
Green Power has appointed California-based Amax Nutritional as its exclusive distributor for the US market.
Under this agreement, Green Power will use P&G’s proprietary green tea processing technology to manufacture green tea extract for use by P&G and for sales to prepared food, beverage and nutritional product manufacturers in the US, Asia and Europe. Because P&G’s process is solvent-free and yields an extract that is far less bitter than currently available extracts, beverage makers can use less sweetening agents and deliver great tasting and lower calorie all-natural beverage formulations.
Dr. Kenneth T. Smith, director of P&G’s food and beverage technology development and the head of P&G’s Nutrition Science Institute, commented: “Green Power is an excellent company to commercialize our green tea processing technology.
“Since 1992, Green Power has pioneered advanced green tea processing in China, and they have an excellent reputation for high quality and excellent service.”
Feng Gu, general manager of Green Power, added: “P&G’s green tea processing technology will allow us to produce a better, more marketable product. We believe this will greatly expand our sales to the beverage market and beyond, particularly where consumers want green tea’s benefits but don’t like the bitter taste.
“We are installing new equipment now, and plan to use the process in commercial production beginning Spring 2002.”
Kent Szeto, President of Amax Nutritional, stated that the distributorship of the improved green tea product opens new prospects for his company and its partners: “We are really excited about expanding the market for green tea to the entire range of food and beverage, nutriceutical, and pharmaceutical products. We are adding more manpower, space and equipment to handle the storage and shipping of the new product.”
Polyphenols from green tea are well-recognized for their anti-oxidant benefits, increasing their usage in beverage and other products, including the burgeoning Asian beverage category of “Beauty Waters”.
P&G’s Green Tea Portfolio
P&G also revealed that it plans to broadly license a significant portfolio of green tea product applications, including dietary supplements, chewing gums, candies, and personal care products.
Norma McDonald, associate director for P&G’s food and beverage licensing, said: “We believe our Green Tea technology portfolio shows as much promise for potential licensees and P&G as CCM, and will become used in mainstream products globally.
“P&G obviously didn’t invent green tea or the beneficial compounds it contains. We invented an economical way to make green tea taste and look great in a wide variety of products, while preserving its benefits.”
