Michael Green has decided to put the British cuppa back on the m

regarding the marketing mix variables.

2. Tea Bar being a new concept, discuss how the product differentiation and product positioning needs to be done so as to capture the minds of the customers.

Michael Green has decided to put the British cuppa back on the map by launching the first of what he believes will be a large chain of specialized tea-shops.

Mr. Green previously had experience as a 'brand-builder' and has worked on brands including Pret a Manger and Haagen Dazs. But now he wants to create one of his own and has launched 'Mumbo' - a tea-bar concept.

The challenge

Some 5.8 billion cups of tea are consumed in the UK each year. With this in mind, Mr. Green wants to launch a global brand to rival the latest coffee craze that is taking over the Great British high street. "Having seen the development of the cafe lifestyle, it struck me that there was a gap in the market for those who enjoy tea and also for the many who do not know leaf tea," he explains. Of course, every brand needs a symbol or an icon. Mr. Green has created a friendly-looking Indian elephant as the official logo for Mumbo. He hopes that it will become a regular feature of towns and

cities across Britain.

Mr. Green also enlisted the help of Phil Mumby who has spent more than twenty years working for one of the country's largest tea firms before setting up his own tea tasting and consultancy business. Together they have identified 35 different teas from around the world to ensure Mumbo 'sippers' get the best cuppa going. They import their tea from reputable suppliers, ensuring that a wide selection is available. The first of the Mumbo outlets recently opened in King's Street, Manchester. The Mumbo (Number One) operates on three floors and serves sippers a range of food including afternoon teas and evening cocktails. Coffee and tea bags are off the menu. Customers can choose to drink on one of Mumbo's three floors, which include a covered roof terrace, or they can of course take out their tea.

"I knew we would succeed if we got people to taste the sensation of real leaf tea. Tea is more interesting than coffee because it has more flavor and variety and it is healthier".

Now that the flagship store is in place, Mr. Green can concentrate on his mission to introduce the public to an entirely new approach to the taste sensation of leaf tea. He is already working on rolling out the concept throughout the UK and then the world.

“We want to enable our sippers to find their own personal tea taste sensation. However, if they do not like their first choice after taking their first sip we will change it for a flavor they believe they will prefer”, says Green.