By Tseten Samdup
After four decades in exile, another Tibetan life style may soon be available in the supermarkets and wine bars across Europe. Recently, a young Tibetan in Switzerland along with her husband started bottling Tibetan wine, more commonly known as Tchang to the Tibetans. Whether it should be called wine or beer is not the issue but the idea to commercially market this unique Tibetan drink is another Tibetan entrepreneurial achievement.
With the ever-growing fascination with Tibet and its culture, only time will tell whether Tchang will be commercially successful or not. However, this venture wasn’t started for commercial reasons.
During a year long Sojourn in North America in 1988, Tenzin Lhamo, who was born in Germany and raised in Switzerland, contemplated on the idea of bottling Tchang.
“I then felt that it would be a great idea if we Tibetans popularised something like “Cuba Libre”, an internationally known drink which stands for a Free Cuba,” said Lhamo. In the fall of 1987 and early 1988, there were major demonstrations in Lhasa, capital city of Tibet against Chinese rule. Lhamo begun to explore ways she could best contribute towards creating greater awareness of the Tibetan struggle.
During the last General Assembly of the Tibetan Youth Association in Europe, held in Switzerland, I bought a bottle of Tchang out of curiosity. It is seldom one gets to drink Tchang in the West compared to a good pint of beer. I shared the bottle with a friend and we both agreed that the quality was good. I bought back a bottle to London as a souvenir. Over 50 bottles were sold at the gathering.
Keeping with Tibetan tradition, marketing campaign was launched on an auspicious date, the first day of Losar – Tibetan New Year on 3 March 2003. The plan was simple, direct marketing to restaurants, grocery and department stores and their own website (www.whitemonkey.ch).
The initial customers were Tibetan and Asian Restaurants, Grocery stores including sales to private homes. The half a litre (500ml) 12% alcohol Tchang bottle cost Swiss Fr 16.50. However, discounts high as 45 percent are offered depending number of bottles or crates purchased.
“We sold much more than our marketing projection,” Lhamo said in an email interview. “More than we imagined.”
As part of creating awareness of their brand, Lhamo and her husband has taken part in various food & health fairs both in Switzerland and Germany. They will also participate in the three week long ‘Toolwood’ Festival in Munich, Germany which starts in June 2003. Over 750’000 people are expected to visit the festival.
According to Lhamo, there is no regulatory requirement to sell homemade wine in Switzerland and Germany. She soon hopes to export Tchang to rest of Europe.
The ability to enter the French market will be a major test. Parisian love for Tibetan food has increased over the years. Paris alone has over 10 Tibetan restaurants. All these restaurants serve delicious Tibetan cuisine. Last year, the family run Lhassa Restaurant was listed in exclusive French food review handbook – Michelin.
Parisian may take a liking to Tchang but it will impossible compete with the wines from the famous French vineyards. But the novelty factor will help its sales.
Recently, Lhamo has start to sell her own branded sepen (Tibetan Chili) and soon hopes to make khapse (Tibetan holiday pastries. “We intend to donate a percentage of our profits to a Tibetan project in Tibet of our choice,” said Lhamo.
