A leading Thai beverage manufacturer faced significant pressure from Thailand’s tiered sugar tax and growing consumer health concerns. They needed to reduce sugar content in their popular Thai tea RTD beverage by 30% without compromising the distinctive creamy, sweet profile that consumers expected. Previous attempts had resulted in a thin mouthfeel and flavor that lacked the rich caramelized notes characteristic of traditional Thai tea.
VKA’s Approach
VKA’s flavor team began with a comprehensive sensory mapping of the client’s original Thai tea formula, identifying the precise temporal sweetness curve and mouthfeel characteristics that defined its appeal.
Our technical analysis revealed that Thai tea’s distinctive profile depends on three key elements:
- A specific sweetness onset and lingering effect
- Creamy mouthfeel with medium viscosity
- Complex aroma compounds that interact with sweetness perception
Rather than simply replacing sugar with high-intensity sweeteners, VKA developed a custom solution:
- A specialized sweet enhancement system calibrated specifically for Thai taste preferences
- A texture system designed to restore body and creaminess
- A carefully balanced Thai tea flavor complex to intensify the characteristic tea notes while complementing the reduced-sugar base
Results
After three development iterations, the client launched their reduced-sugar Thai tea containing 30% less sugar than the original. Consumer testing showed:
- 87% of regular consumers could not distinguish between the original and reduced-sugar version in blind taste tests
- The product qualified for a lower tax bracket, allowing the brand to maintain its competitive price point
- Sales actually increased by 14% in the first quarter after launch due to health-conscious consumers switching from competitors
“VKA’s deep understanding of Thai tea’s flavor profile was impressive. They recreated the complete sensory experience with significantly less sugar. The solution performed perfectly in our production environment, with excellent heat stability during UHT processing.”— R&D Director, Thai Beverage Company
