Founded in Colombia in 2009, Hatsu is a premium iced tea brand built around values of wellbeing, creativity and lifestyle. From the beginning, the brand set out to challenge the traditional beverage category by creating a distinctive lifestyle proposition rather than simply another iced tea. Since joining the Postobón Group in 2016, and adopting Tetra Pak® carton packaging, the Hatsu team has worked closely with Tetra Pak to unlock new category opportunities and grow the brand’s presence on the shelves.
Establishing a disruptive brand
Once established in 2010, Hatsu started offering consumers iced teas with exotic fruit flavours: white tea and mangosteen tea, yellow starfruit and lotus blossom tea, lilac cherry blossom tea, and blue pomegranate tea.
“From the beginning, Hatsu was conceived as more than a beverage. It was about creating a lifestyle brand that connected with consumers through design, creativity and wellbeing.”
Luisa Jiménez, Premium Business Unit Director, Postobón
However, they quickly recognised that consumers were looking for more than just great-tasting iced teas; they responded to brands that reflected their values and aspirations. For Hatsu, this meant creating a lifestyle brand rooted in wellbeing, art, design, fashion and music. From its bold, colourful packaging that stands out on the shelf to its carefully curated social media presence, every touchpoint was designed to reinforce the brand's identity.
Just as importantly, the founders understood that while competitors could replicate a recipe and compete on price, they couldn't easily copy a distinctive brand experience. Hatsu’s strength lay in consistently delivering its unique lifestyle proposition, ensuring that everything the brand said and did was consistent with the same clear vision.
Smart positioning and distribution multiply growth
Hatsu targeted consumers who embraced general wellbeing and mindful lifestyle centred around habits like exercise and meditation. Its name, derived from the Japanese word meaning "the beginning," reflects this philosophy of personal growth and wellbeing.
The brand initially focused on restaurants, gourmet retailers and supermarkets in Colombia's higher-income neighbourhoods. As it strengthened its commercial partnerships and secured listings with major supermarket chains, Hatsu’s growth accelerated rapidly. By 2015, its sales revenue was more than 20 times higher than it had been in 2010.
Acquisition accelerates expansion
In 2016, Hatsu was acquired by Postobón, marking a new chapter in the brand's growth journey. The acquisition gave Hatsu access to Postobón's manufacturing capabilities, nationwide distribution network and resources which helped accelerate innovation and expand its reach.
Backed by Postobón's investment and nationwide distribution network, Hatsu strengthened its product portfolio, expanded its reach to 90% of Colombia and more than 21 international markets, and tripled its presence in the retail channel. Greater scale also enabled more efficient supplier negotiations and increased investment in research and development.
The acquisition also provided access to Postobón's Tetra Pak carton packaging lines, supporting Hatsu’s continued expansion into new products and consumption occasions. Together, they were able to strengthen the brand's premium lifestyle position, which could successfully extend across multiple food and beverage categories without losing its distinctive identity.
One opportunity was with younger consumers, who were drawn to the brand's distinctive exotic fruit flavours, such as lychee, mangosteen, and carambolo. To meet the needs of these consumers, Hatsu introduced its teas in 200 ml Tetra Brik® Aseptic Slim Leaf packages with a straw - a convenient format for on-the-go consumption and lunch boxes.
The launch proved especially popular for children’s lunches, supported by Hatsu’s sugar-free recipes and the convenience of the 200 ml format. At the same time, this format also appealed to adults looking for a refreshing drink to take to work or consume on the go.
A second innovation targeted at-home consumption. Hatsu launched its exotic fruit flavoured teas in 1000 ml Tetra Prisma® Aseptic packages, giving families a convenient option for sharing at meals and other family gatherings. This enabled the brand to expand beyond individual, on-the-go consumption and become a natural part of life at home.
Making premium more accessible
In 2025, Hatsu introduced another packaging innovation that helped drive growth. Taking advantage of the QuickChange feature on Tetra Pak’s filling equipment, the brand launched a new 750 ml format of its two best-selling iced tea flavours, developed specifically for ARA hard discount stores. The smaller package enables Hatsu to offer its premium products at a more accessible price point, appealing to aspirational yet price-conscious consumers without compromising the brand's premium positioning.
Marketing that builds community
As Hatsu’s reputation grew, so did its community. Rather than relying on traditional advertising, they focused on creating authentic connections with people who shared their values. Hatsu’s social media presence became a space where consumers engaged with the brand because they genuinely identified with its lifestyle; not because they were paid to promote it.
Hatsu collaborated with artists, designers and creators whose work and lifestyles reflected the brand's identity, encouraging them to share their stories using the hashtag #HatsuLovers. This user-generated content helped build awareness organically.
"We stay in touch with our consumers through #HatsuLovers and communicate around art, design, wellbeing, and creativity," says Luisa Jiménez, premium business unit director at Postobón SA. "We see mums looking for better products for their children, as well as college students who want to share what Hatsu stands for. We even launched a special rainbow package edition to connect with the LGBTQ+ community in Colombia. In the end, we built a community around shared values, rather than promoting our products through traditional advertising."
Package designs appeal to consumers
Every element of the Hatsu brand experience is carefully crafted to reflect its values and clean, minimalist package designs play a central role in that identity. Bold colours are their defining visual element, making each product instantly recognisable.
"Each flavour has its own colour,” Luisa explains, “so sometimes people ask for the colour they want rather than the flavour." The result is a packaging identity that not only stands out on the shelf, but is actually an integral part of the Hatsu brand experience.
“Each flavour has its own colour, so sometimes people ask for the colour they want rather than the flavour."
Luisa Jiménez, premium business unit director at Postobón SA
Promoting circular economy initiatives
For Hatsu, packaging is more than a product delivery system; it's a powerful communication channel. Graphics on the back of the pack explain the three stages of the carton recycling process in Colombia and show how used packages can be transformed into new products, giving the material a valuable second life.
The packaging also showcases Postobón's community initiatives, including programmes that turn recycled carton materials into school desks for local communities. In 2025, Hatsu launched a special campaign supporting an Indigenous community in Colombia, using the carton itself to tell the story and demonstrate the positive impact of recycling. By bringing these initiatives directly onto the package, Hatsu reinforces its commitment to sustainability while increasing consumers’ understanding of the circular economy.
Strategic collaboration drives innovation
For Luisa, Hatsu's success is built not only on its unique positioning and packaging innovation but also on its close collaboration with Tetra Pak. "Since the Postobón acquisition a decade ago, our relationship with Tetra Pak has evolved from that of supplier to strategic partner."
Through regular innovation workshops in Colombia, visits to Tetra Pak's product development centres, and attendance at industry events such as Expo West, Hatsu has gained fresh inspiration and a deeper understanding of emerging consumer and category trends.
"Tetra Pak carton packages have enabled us to expand into new consumption occasions while maintaining our premium image," says Luisa. "But our partnership has contributed far more than that. The category expertise, consumer insights and innovation support from Tetra Pak have helped us identify new opportunities and make better strategic decisions throughout our growth journey."
" Tetra Pak carton packages have enabled us to expand into new consumption occasions while maintaining our premium image."
Luisa Jiménez, premium business unit director at Postobón SA
Building on a strong brand platform
While iced tea will always remain at the heart of the brand, Hatsu has successfully extended its portfolio to include products such as flavoured water and sodas, with further expansion on the horizon.
"Our strategy is always to deliver a premium consumer experience," says Luisa. "We're expanding where we see opportunities for growth, while preserving Hatsu's leadership in iced tea. Packaging plays a central role in that strategy. Today, around 60% of Hatsu's iced tea sales come from products in Tetra Pak carton packages, and the 200 ml package has become the Hatsu brand's best-selling format!”
“…60% of Hatsu's iced tea sales come from products in Tetra Pak carton packages, and the 200 ml package has become the Hatsu brand's best-selling format!”
Luisa Jiménez, premium business unit director at Postobón SA
