Kusmi Tea to develop its Japanese operations with Bluebell Group

TOKYO, Japan - Oct. 2, 2016 - PRLog -- ANNOUNCEMENT:

Orientis Gourmet and Bluebell Group are pleased to announce their partnership for the distribution of Kusmi Tea in Japan.

Effective September 2016, Bluebell has been appointed exclusive distributor for Japan with the objective of developing the brand through an omni-channel strategy.

The two companies will focus on developing a strong retail presence in key locations nationwide, including own stores in major cities, premium department stores, as well as with selected wholesale accounts. E-commerce operations are also an essential component of the growth strategy.

Sylvain Orebi, CEO of Kusmi Tea / Orientis group, explained: "We are proud to initiate this collaboration with Bluebell Japan and to join their prestigious partners' portfolio. Japanese people have appreciated Kusmi Tea while travelling in Paris most glamourous locations – such as Champs-Elysées, Avenue de L'Opera or Galeries Lafayette -, we are therefore particularly delighted that they can now also find us more widely in Japan! I feel very confident to work with Bluebell Japan who have a perfect knowledge of the country, where they have been active for over sixty years. I know that, through various store openings and department stores corners launch, they will develop our brand precisely according to our positioning made of both tradition and modernity."

Serge Grebert, President of Bluebell Japan, commented that "Over the past 150 years, Kusmi Tea has become a reference amongst tea lovers by perfecting the art of blending premium teas distinguished by their unique flavours, high quality ingredients and contemporary approach. I am very pleased that Bluebell Japan now has the opportunity to contribute to the worldwide success and expansion of Kusmi Tea. The Japanese consumer is rightly seen as very sophisticated and I have no doubt that thanks to Kusmi Tea's continuous innovation, the attractiveness of its clever packaging, and an ongoing commitment to quality,Orientis Gourmet and Bluebell are in a position to meet and exceed the expectation of the Japanese market."

About Kusmi Tea / Orientis Gourmet

Founded 150 years ago in Saint Petersburg, Kusmi Tea is a French tea house that cultivates both modernism and tradition, through its staple creations around wellness, its unavoidable classics and its legendary recipes, which have today become iconic. Kusmi Tea now owns about 80 boutiques worldwide and is distributed in more than 35 countries. The company offers 90 varieties of high quality black, green, red teas and infusions using only whole leaves imported from producing countries such as China, India and Sri Lanka.

About Bluebell

Since 1954, the Bluebell group has been successfully marketing and promoting imported products of the highest quality throughout Asia. Through experience, Bluebell has developed a deep understanding of how to market and promote these exclusive luxury and lifestyle products and build them into powerful brands with large and long-standing recognition. These categories of products include fashion, leather goods and accessories, perfumes and cosmetics, gourmet food and tobacco.

Press Contact:

Orientis Gourmet:

Camille Foulché - communication@kusmitea.com - +33 (0)1 58 71 20 65

Bluebell Group:

Samy Redjeb