Melfort Green tea wins gold award

Tea is one of the three major non-alcoholic beverages in the world. The origin of tea is not precisely known, but as it has been in use in China since the earliest times, it is commonly attributed to that country.

In China, tea has been known long before the Christian era. The use of tea was discovered accidentally when an ancient Chinese scholar was boiling water for his evening meal, and in replenishing the firewood (made of the branches of the tea plant), some of the leaves fell into the water vessel. Upon tasting it, he found the drink to be exciting and exhilarating in its effects that he continued to use it.

Minister of Plantation Industries Mahinda Samarasinghe with the Ambassador for Russia in Sri Lanka Vladimir P. Mikhaylov handing over the “Gold Award” to Melfort Green Teas, Deputy Managing Director/C.E.O Tiran Peiris

That knowledge was imparted from person to person and its use soon spread throughout the country. The first positive reference to tea by Kien-Lung in the fourth century, who described the medicinal effects of the tea plant and its preparation.

It is estimated that in the eighth century. Buddhist priests coming from China and India and Japanese envoys dispatched to T'ang China, brought tea to Japan. In the 12th Century a Buddhist priest named Yeast brought tea seeds from China to Japan. He may, therefore be cited as the founder of the Japanese tea industry. Green tea has increasingly become a very popular drink worldwide because of its immensely powerful health benefits.

In Sri Lanka one of the industry leaders, Melfort plant receives some of the finest quality fresh leaf that has given its edge in the processing of Chinese Green Tea. Maintaining such stringent quality standards has made it the only fully fledged Chinese Green Tea plant in Sri Lanka to be accredited with HACCP (food safety management system) and ISO 22000.

At an altitude of about 3000 feet above sea level in the lush green valley of Pussellawa, Nuwara Eliya is where one can find Sri Lanka's finest Green Tea - the Melfort. This plant and Sanquhar is nestled in the valley surrounded by some blue mountains and cascading water falls up in the Kandy district, approximately 2800? above sea level. Sanquhar is one of the oldest tea plantations in Sri Lanka and the history goes back to the 19th century. This is the only steam green tea plant in the country, and produces above 500 metric tons per annum. Its production capacity ranges from about 420 metric tons to 650 metric tons per annum and boasts of a wide range of specialty Green Teas based on a grade mix of 'estate fresh green leaf' according to an original Chinese Green Tea processing recipe. This ancient Chinese Green Tea processing is very well guarded secret that is unique to a few manufacturers in the world.

Melfort Green Teas, Deputy Managing Director/C.E.O Tiran Peiris, said their's is a name blending well with Lanka's Tea and especially the Green Tea production for the past 16 years. Peiris's perseverance in undergoing extensive training in Japanese Green Tea in Japan, Chinese Green Tea in China, Oolng Tea in Taiwan and study tours in Indonesia, Vietnam, India, Kenya (on tea extracts & aroma) & Korea as well as having mastered the tea planting process as a Planter and gained international exposure on Green Tea Marketing in Russia, Japan, France, USA, South Africa and Korea has made him one of the top experts in Green Tea in Sri Lanka.

His efforts have also helped the company to gain several awards in many countries. In USA Melfort was adjudged the 'Overall Winner' in the green tea category and 'Melfort' was Selected as the 'overall winner' in the Green Tea category at the Speciality Tea Contest held in USA at the 'World Tea Expo in 2008'. In addition to their product, Sanquhar Sencha Fannings was selected for the finals at the World Tea Expo in USA in 2008.

The company also won a Gold Award at the "Ceylon Specialty Estate tea competition in Russia - 2011".

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