From Japan to the World: How ITO EN Balanced Global Standardization and Local Adaptation

ITO EN, a Japanese multinational company specializing in tea, expanded internationally with its flagship ready-to-drink green tea brand Oi Ocha despite significant differences in beverage consumption habits and preferences across global cultures and markets.  While unsweetened green tea is widely consumed in Japan and deeply interwoven in everyday life, many overseas markets associate bottled and canned drinks with sugared or carbonated beverages, such as in the United States, or consume tea with milk and sweeteners, as in Thailand and other parts of Southeast Asia, thus creating a barrier to consumer acceptance.

This case study examines the company’s hybrid market entry strategy by comparing similarities in its approaches in North America and Southeast Asia and explores how ITO EN addressed the challenges by coordinating product authenticity with market adaptation. While Oi Ocha remained the core standardized product representing authentic Japanese green tea, the complementary Teas' Tea product line offered flavor profiles that aligned with local taste preferences in different locations. A clear product identity, supported by the country-of-origin association of Japanese tea and reinforced through health-oriented positioning, gradually helped build consumer understanding across markets, contributing to the steady growth of the company’s overseas revenue and its expanding international presence.
 

Cover Photo: Courtesy of ITO EN