ITO EN Scores Big With The Introduction Of Tea Apple and Tea Lemon Bottled Teas

New York, NY — ITO EN (North America), INC, traditionally known for their green tea beverages, has announced that their first sweetened, Sri Lankan ready-to-drink black teas, Tea Apple and Tea Lemon, have received four and three and a half star ratings respectively from BevNet.com, the beverage industry’s premiere source for product reviews and news. Like all ITO EN bottled teas, Tea Apple and Tea Lemon are authentically brewed from premium whole, loose tea leaves using state-of-the-art brewing techniques — with the added infusion of a touch of fruit. Each variety is available in a 16.9 fluid oz bottle, contains 120 calories per serving with 40% of the suggested daily requirement of Vitamin C. The suggested retail price is $1.99.

“Tea Apple and Tea Lemon are the perfect complement to our TEAS’ TEA line of all natural, unsweetened ready-to-drink teas,” said Rona Tison, vice president of corporate relations for ITO EN (North America), INC. “We are thrilled with the rating we have received from BevNet because it really demonstrates our knowledge, experience and expertise in creating a product that is not sugary sweet and offers a more gentle, softer quality taste.”

An excerpt from the BevNET Review for Tea Apple states:

“Who knew that apple and black tea would combine so well? Ito En obviously did and this unique, refreshing beverage is the result. Featuring a strong brew of Sri Lankan black tea and a lightly sweet apple flavor, it's an extremely addictive flavor.”

ITO EN has a unique privileged access to the most prized tea harvests in Sri Lanka each season. The company carefully selects superior tea leaves which are noted for their appearance, flavor and aroma and result in the tantalizing flavor found in Tea Apple and Tea Lemon.

Since establishing their U.S. operations in 2001, Tokyo-based ITO EN LTD. has introduced the green tea culture to the American market through the TEAS’ TEA line of all natural, unsweetened ready-to-drink teas as well as through their New York City based retail and restaurant divisions. The Ito En Tea Shop, located on Manhattan’s Madison Avenue, has received the 2005 and 2006 Zagat Gourmet Marketplace award for ‘best tea’ and the company also operates the renowned KAI and Donguri restaurants. TEAS’ TEA recently received the ‘best flavor’ and ‘best packaging’ awards from the World Tea Expo and has been chosen as the tea of choice in San Francisco’s Hotel Vitale.

In Japan, ITO EN LTD. is renowned as a trendsetter in the tea and beverage industries. They were the first company to produce an unsweetened, 100% naturally brewed canned green tea beverage, pioneering an entirely new market for green tea. Additional information on ITO EN can be found by visiting the company’s website located at www.itoen.com.

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ITO EN (North America) INC., a subsidiary of ITO EN, LTD., the world's leading artisan of green tea leaves and green tea beverages, imports and markets TEAS’ TEA, Sencha Shot, Tea Lemon and Tea Apple in the United States. The brand urges consumers to "Drink for your self®," a tag line which appears on each bottle, to taste the distinction of a beverage that is healthy and designed for an active lifestyle. The Ito En Tea Shop, on New York City’s Madison Avenue, was voted Best Tea Shop by the 2006 and 2005 Zagat Survey of New York City Gourmet Market Places.

Established in 1966, Japan-based ITO EN, LTD. was founded to market green tea, a traditional Japanese beverage. Today, ITO EN, LTD. is firmly positioned as the world's leading supplier of green tea leaves and green tea beverages, developing a steady stream of new products that specifically address customer needs and lifestyles. Known as a trendsetter in Japan's beverage industry, intensive research and development has allowed the company to cultivate better tea, and positioned them as the first company to create a patented method of bottling green tea in a manner that carefully preserves its distinct flavor and integrity. Additional information can be accessed through www.itoen.com.

Contacts: Laura Picco Patrick Morris
518.272.2400, ext. 17 518.272.2400, ext. 12