“Herbal beverage” is not the first product most consumers would associate with
Coca-Cola (KO), but the company is taking steps to market drinks other than sodas. In
May
it pledged to help fight global obesity, in part by offering more
beverage options. On Wednesday, Coca-Cola made good on that promise,
introducing a bottled “herbal tea” drink called Habu.
Habu is made with four herbs: roselle, licorice, luo han guo, and cogon grass.
Roselle is a species of hibiscus that’s said to lower cholesterol and is commonly included in Asian teas;
licorice is used to ease coughs, sooth ulcers and stomach inflammation, and control blood sugar;
luo han guo is a fruit that’s used as a sweetener; and
cogon grass
is used to treat fevers and other conditions. Coca-Cola did not
immediately respond to inquiries about whether it would market Habu as a
health product, but spokeswoman Sharolyn Choy said in an e-mail that
it’s “designed to be an everyday drink that combines modern tastes with
traditional herbal properties.”
“These [herbs] are blended together to make Habu a truly great tasting
herbal drink,” she said. “It’s not bitter but you can taste the presence
of the four herbs.” Each 280-milliliter (9.5-ounce) bottle contains 140
calories.
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