Lipton Teas and Infusions divests Turkish tea factories to Öz-Gür Çay
The divestment aligns with Lipton’s global strategy to streamline operations while maintaining its presence in Türkiye through a new Sakarya facility.
TURKEY – Lipton Teas and Infusions, one of the world’s largest tea producers, has exited factory operations in Türkiye following the sale of its two tea-processing plants in Rize to local company Öz-Gür Çay.
The divestment forms part of Lipton’s global strategy to concentrate on its core areas of expertise; selecting, blending, and marketing premium tea.
The Netherlands-based group confirmed that the two factories, which handle the drying and cutting of locally grown tea, have been transferred to Istanbul-based Öz-Gür Çay, a well-established player in the Turkish tea market.
The financial details of the transaction were not disclosed, and the deal is still pending approval from Türkiye’s competition authority.
In a statement, Lipton said: “We have reached an agreement to transfer ownership of these factories to an existing experienced partner, Öz-Gür Çay. This is in line with our global approach of focusing on our core strengths: selecting, blending, and selling the best tea.”
The company reiterated its long-term commitment to the Turkish market through Lipton Gıda ve Çay Sanayi ve Ticaret A.Ş., which will continue sourcing tea from local suppliers in accordance with the company’s sustainability and quality standards.
Lipton emphasized that its new €30 million blending and packaging facility in Sakarya, located in western Türkiye, will remain central to its ongoing operations after 39 years in the country.
The Sakarya facility, inaugurated earlier this year, will continue to receive tea from Rize for blending and packaging. Lipton’s continued investment in the region underscores its focus on innovation and efficiency within its global operations.
The move follows similar developments in the Turkish tea market. In May, JDE Peet’s, the parent company of Jacobs, sold its Ofçay brand to local producer Efor Çay, boosting Efor’s processing capacity to over 30,000 tons annually.
Meanwhile, leadership changes at Lipton have seen former Heineken executive Marc Busain assume the role of CEO, succeeding interim chief Pierre Laubies, who has returned to the company’s supervisory board.
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