Focus on origin identity of pure Sri Lankan tea

Anjana Samarasinghe

IDENTIFICATION: Sri Lanka needs to promote the origin identification of local tea than promoting individual brands in the International market, to gain real benefits through the tea industry.

Speaking to the Daily News at the Sri Lanka tea sommelier competition which, was held last Monday at Waters Edge, Marketing Director, Dilmah, Dilhan C. Fernando, said that the country needs to create a origin identity for pure Sri Lankan tea where buyers could ask for “Nuwara-Eliya tea” or “Galle tea” not by the brand name.

The older generation is much aware of the origin of Ceylon tea but we need to promote it among the younger generation too, he said.

It is also important Sri Lanka to focus more on exclusive up markets in the international market with value addition in tea to compete with other tea producing countries, he said.

Most of the five star hotels in Sri Lanka serve tea as a just a normal cup of tea without any special features for their foreign guests. But local hotels serve substitutes such as coffee with adding different varieties.

Main objective of the competition is to change this and harness the skills of beverage professionals in the industry and promote quality, variety and innovation in the tea industry, Fernando said.

Dilmah Tea together with Chefs Guild of Lanka has organised the Sri Lanka Tea Sommelier competition participation of 30 local star class hotels. Plans are also afoot to have the Asia Pacific Dilmah Tea Sommelier Competition in March 2007 at Colombo.

Winners of this event will be qualifying for take part in the Asia Pacific competition.

Over 15 countries will participate for the Asia Pacific competition and organisers also expect to have the competition in Europe, North Africa, North and South America to promote tea.

Chairman, Council of Management of Chefs Guild of Sri Lanka Gerard Mendis told Daily News that each participant need to prepare tea cocktail, tea mocktail and traditional hot tea beverage at the competition.

There are large number of skilled beverage professionals in local hospitality industry. This will be an ideal opportunity for these professionals to showcase their talent and industry and also to promote tea-based cocktails and mocktails and attract more foreigners to the country he said.

Promoting tea-based cocktails and mocktails around the world will be a boost for the develop the local tea industry too he said.