Sri Lankan exhibitors of Ceylon Tea at North America’s largest F&B fair

Thursday, 10 July 2014 00:03 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Continuing the vigorous campaign to promote Ceylon Tea in the United States, the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Washington DC and the Sri Lanka Tea Board organised the Sri Lankan pavilion at the 2014 Summer Fancy Food Show, North America’s largest food and beverage fair, which was held from 29 June to 1 July at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, New York.

A number of leading Sri Lankan tea exporters, namely Basilur Tea, Classic Teas, Vintage Teas, Adamexpo, Tea Tang and Millennium Teas, displayed an exquisite array of value-added Ceylon Teas under the Ceylon Tea pavilion, attracting many visitors. To coincide with the show, the Embassy in association with Sri Lanka Tea Board arranged several side events to promote Ceylon Tea. The networking dinner held on 30 June was well-attended with the participation of a large number of US tea industry leaders, media personnel and key officials of the US Tea Council. Sri Lanka’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN Maj. General Shavendra Silva and Sri Lanka Tea Board Deputy Director Premala Srikantha were also associated at this event. Sri Lanka’s new envoy to the US Ambassador Prasad Kariyawasam thanked the Sri Lankan exhibitors for their valuable participation at this important event with a view to gaining a strong foothold for Ceylon Tea in growing specialty tea segment in the US market. “Let’s work together for an ambitious plan for doubling the current market share of Ceylon Tea in the US market,” stated Kariyawasam. The breakfast seminar on ‘Ceylon Tea – Sri Lanka’s Gift to the World’ was held at the Greater New York Chamber of Commerce for the second consecutive year with large gathering including a cross section of tea connoisseurs in New York City, tea trade and media personnel.

Kariyawasam delivered the keynote address at this seminar, highlighting the unique characteristics of pure Ceylon Tea as a beverage with numerous health benefits. He appealed to US tea consumers to be tea connoisseurs to admire a good cup of tea in this growing speciality tea market segment. “Ceylon Tea over its 147-year history has been world renowned for its excellence, exclusivity, premium quality and distinctive taste. When you consume tea, look for the lion logo on Ceylon Tea, which is the symbol of quality and you will not only enjoy a good cup of tea but also will be endorsing a brand of tea which is carefully handpicked and produced in socially responsible manner,” he opined.

Greater New York Chamber of Commerce President Mark Jaffe addressing the audience indicated that Sri Lanka produces and exports quality tea and requested audience to assist Sri Lankan tea industry by consuming more quality tea from Sri Lanka. A detailed presentation on Ceylon Tea was made by Srikantha. Minister (Commercial) of the Embassy in Washington DC Bandula Somasiri organised this promotional program on Ceylon Tea.