Dilmah Enters The Indian Market

EH&C Staff - Mumbai

Ties Up With Dabur Foods For Distribution

Dilmah has entered the Indian market by launching five tea specialty ranges in the country - Ceylon Gold a large leaf variety, Premium a small leaf tea, the Asian Spice Range offering Ginger and Cardamom flavoured tea, English Breakfast teabags and Dilmah Premium teabags. A family owned and managed company, it was founded by Merrill J Fernando who is respected as one of the world’s foremost tea experts with over 50 years experience. It is understood that the founder and his team taste over 5,000 cups of tea every week to pick the best for Dilmah.

Speaking at the launch of Dilmah, founder and chairman, Merrill J Fernando, said, “India has a distinguished tradition of growing some of the world’s finest tea, it is also the largest single consumer of black tea. We are honoured to bring Ceylon’s finest tea, to offer Indians the opportunity to join millions of discerning drinkers around the world. In the initial Dilmah selection there is a tea for every discerning drinker.”

The traditional, orthodox style tea, unlike the more recent CTC process, ensures that 100 per cent pure Ceylon leaf tea retains its original character and taste. A world-class, fully integrated tea company - also the first to bring together a totally integrated operation on this scale - Dilmah owns some of Sri Lanka’s best tea gardens, state-of-the-art tea packaging facilities and other allied services.

Commenting on the distribution tie-up and strategy, Amit Burman, CEO, Dabur Foods Ltd said, “Dilmah’s partnership with Dabur Foods is a recognition of our expertise in distribution of premium food brands. Initially, Dilmah will be available in select outlets across North and West India. By this month, Dilmah will roll out in the South and early next year, in the East, thus becoming available nationwide.”