Sunday Dec 29, 2024
Sunday Dec 29, 2024
Friday, 23 October 2020 00:28 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
George Steuart Teas laid the foundation stone for a modern, state-of-the-art tea processing and packaging facility in Thalwatta, Kelaniya. This complex will be built on a six-acre land extent and the building area will cover over 150,000 sq/feet.
The facility will carry out tea and packing material storing, processing, blending, bagging and packaging. Furthermore the manufacturing process follows ISO 9001:2015 , ISO22000:2018, HACCP, GMP and organic standards.
The storage area will have capacity to store over one million kilos of tea and will be equipped with a temperature controlled cold room to store herbs and flavours to preserve the freshness and quality. The complex is strategically located in close proximity to tea broker warehouses, main highways to access the port, airport and other parts of the country. This will enable ease of logistics for local and international distribution.
The facility will be equipped with modern fully automated machinery including staple free tea bagging machines, blending machines, pouch machines and multi-layer storage racking systems. International buyers will be able to do tea tasting sessions and also visit a miniature tea garden which will complete the experience within the same location. George Steuarts Chairman Dilith Jayaweera said: “As the oldest tea company in Sri Lanka we are very proud of our journey thus far and this venture will allow us to further show our commitment to promote Ceylon Tea to the world and to cater to global standards and requirements.”
Commenting on the new venture, George Steuart Teas Managing Director Dai Pathmanathan said: “We are happy to embark on this project to enable George Steuart Teas to further improve on quality standards, capacity and to efficiently serve our customers both internationally and locally.”
Project partners include Access Engineering, Civil & Structural Engineering Consultants (CSEC) and George Steuart Engineering. The project is planned to be completed in 2022, Q1 at an estimated cost of $ 10 million.
Established in 1835 by brothers James and George Steuart, George Steuart & Company stands proud today as the oldest mercantile establishment in Sri Lanka. The history of George Steuart & Company is closely intertwined with the fortunes of Sri Lanka’s tea industry.
No other company can claim the expert and intimate knowledge that comes from being the original Ceylon Tea people. In its span of nearly two centuries George Steuart & Company has made immense contribution to establish Sri Lanka as one of the world’s foremost producers of finest quality teas.
Today the ‘Steuarts’ tea brand is very popular among regular tea drinkers locally and internationally where it is exported to over 50 countries. Locally Steuarts BOPF Premium tea, Rosa Kahata, Steuarts Natural Ginger Tea and Steuarts Green Tea is sold in most retail outlets and supermarkets across the island.
