Tata Global smells the coffee; plans to buyout Hector Beverages

Talk of a possible buyout of Hector Beverages is just the beginning of the company's plan to widen its portfolio and see off rivals

Tata Global, the world’s second largest branded tea company after Unilever, wants to be more than what it is best known for. This means a bigger play in food and beverages in India, Asia’s third-largest economy and among the fastest-growing in the world.

In the last few years, Tata Global, whose 2016-17 turnover was Rs 67.79 billion (FY 2017-18 revenue estimates are pegged at Rs 68.91 billion, according to analysts), has moved in that direction with joint ventures such as Tata Starbucks and NourishCo, the latter an association with PepsiCo.

Yet, the company, which acquired UK-based Tetley in 2000, triggering a spate