Mysuru start-up launches betel leaf tea in 4 flavours

Sandeep said he found betel grown extensively in his native place and wanted to do something to improve its utilisation

Sandeep Eshanya, 30, from Mysuru has come up with betel leaf tea using the technology developed at Nitte University DST Technology Enabling Centre (DST TEC). This is probably the first by-product from betel leaf. In fact, betel leaf has been used in India for generations for auspicious events and is regularly used as paan which acts as a mouth freshener and is also consumed with tobacco.

The betel leaf tea in four natural flavours—original, lemon, orange and rose petals— were officially launched at a programme in Mangaluru by Nitte Deemed to be University Vice- Chancellor Prof Satheesh Kumar Bhandary.

Sandeep said that he had come across an article on how betel leaf is neglected inspite of cultivating on five lakh acres of land in India and decided to work on it to make it a beverage, an alternative to tea leaves and approached Nitte University DST TEC in 2020.

“I noticed betel leaves being grown extensively in my native and wanted to do something to improve the utilisation of this valuable resource. After I shared my idea with Dr Mamatha B S, faculty at Nitte University Centre for Science Education and Research, she decided to experiment on it. With her background in food technology, she developed a process for making betel leaf tea using betel leaves," he said.

“For developing the technology, we have used betel leaves from across the country. Now, while preparing the tea bags, we have started using two varieties of Mysuru betel leaves. The product is now delivered to customers as “betel leaf tea bags.” The process of preparing tea bags from betel leaves without losing nutrients, medicinal properties and in original flavour or incorporating different flavours had to be standardized through extensive laboratory studies and customer acceptance trials. The process has been protected by a shared patent,” said Dr Mamatha. Nitte University authorized M/S Eshanya Beverages, a Start up to commercialize the technology through an agreement. M/S Eshanya Beverages incubated at the M S Ramaiah Institute incubator and the product is released to the market through an online platform. Already 300 boxes of betel leaf tea have been sold in the last one month.

Sandeep said, "The product will be sold in the retail market in Mysuru, Bengaluru and Mumbai. The samples have been sent to 10 countries including US, UK, Australia, Japan, Canada and there is good response. We are planning to export it as well. Already paper works related to the export to US and Japan are under process,” he added.

About 180 gram of betel leaf tea powder can be prepared with a kg of betel leaf. Around 10 to 15 farmers have been supplying the betel leaves to us,” he said.

A box of betel leaf tea bag with 15 sachets costs Rs 349.

Advisor research and patent (NITTE deemed to be university) Prof Dr Iddya Karunasagar, and pro vice chancellor Dr M S Moodithaya were also present.