A two-day conclave hosted by the Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC) of North Bengal to promote tea to India’s youth brought together industry leaders, innovators, and change-makers nationwide to reimagine tea as a next-generation consumer and lifestyle product.
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West Bengal Conclave Promotes Tea for Youth
By Dan Bolton
A two-day conclave hosted by the Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC) of North Bengal to promote tea to India’s youth brought together industry leaders, innovators, and change-makers nationwide to reimagine tea as a next-generation consumer and lifestyle product.
Marketing expert and filmmaker Prahlad Kakkar, who delivered the keynote, was among several featured speakers at the May 1-2 event. Growers and tea brand owners, including Luxmi Plantations’ CEO Rudra Chatterjee, presented 50 teas in virtual and in-person tastings. There was also a “make your own tea” demonstration, five business sessions, and a Techno Walkathon celebrating the spirit of tea and wellness.
“Prahlad Kakkar’s session was a standout — sharp, nostalgic, and full of perspective. It took us back to the roots of storytelling and why brand thinking matters, writes the ICC Secretariat in a Facebook Post. “It feels like we’ve created something that will be remembered for a while.”
Umang Mittal, the chairman of ICC North Bengal, said, “ICC has been positioning North Bengal as a vibrant business hub. It has hosted events for collaboration, innovation, and new sector opportunities. The tea conclave was an effort to bring the tea industry closer to youth, new markets, and future-ready thinking.”
Gopal Dalmia, chairman of the ICC’s tea committee, told the Telegraph that annual per capita tea consumption in India is around 780 grams, lower than in many tea-producing countries, signaling an opportunity to increase domestic consumption. “The conclave was designed to celebrate the diversity, health benefits, and innovation that tea now stands for,” he said.
Bijoygopal Chakraborty, president of the Confederation of Indian Small Tea Growers Associations, said conclaves are necessary to explore how we can have more tea drinkers in our country. “Many don’t even know the origin of their tea. A lot can be done to encourage tea drinking across India.”
BIZ INSIGHT – Lochan Tea Founder and Director Rajiv Lochan praised the gathering’s energy, ideas, and engagement. “We wish to repeat these events and take a step ahead with tea culture and education,” he said. “A cup can’t satisfy the consumer until a healthy bush and a well-fed worker tills the land,” says Lochan, who emphasized the appropriateness of the event theme: “Sip the Change, Brew the Future.”
- Revised 5/19
Episode 216
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