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Tuesday, 7 June 2011 00:12 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
A subsidiary company of Free Lanka Capital Holdings PLC (FLCH), Melfort Green Teas (Pvt) Ltd., one of the leading manufacturers of green tea in Sri Lanka, has made its mark around the globe as the producers of the finest quality purest green tea and has reached the position of market leader.
With green tea being widely accepted throughout the globe as a health drink with no less than 25 health benefits, Melfort Green Tea has successfully established itself in the niche market looking for a high quality product.
“At FLCH we not only manufacture excellent Black Tea, but also have successfully ventured into Green Tea,” a company spokesman said.
The green tea is produced at two plants in Pussellawa. One is in Melfort Estate which boasts of a production capacity of 600 metric tons per annum using the pan process. The other is in Sanquhar Estate where around 400 metric tons are produced using the steam process. Incidentally, Sanquhar Estate is regarded as the oldest tea plantation in Sri Lanka dating back to the 19th century.
Melfort plant is accredited with HACCP food safety management systems and ISO 22000 quality standard. It is also the only green tea plant in the country which produces green tea with estate-fresh green leaves thereby guaranteeing freshness and quality at the highest levels.
Describing the Melfort product as “a unique blend,” Melfort Green Teas Deputy Managing Director/CEO Tiran Peiris said that it is due to exceptional climatic conditions and the exclusive rich fertile soil in the estate. “Moreover, the fully computerised processing mechanism ensures that the aroma, the flavour and the natural goodness of the green tea are retained,” he said.
He added that another reason for the high quality is due to the use of China Jat tea bushes that are meticulously cared for in the entire process of plucking, handling and processing.
The premium grade Melfort tea was ranked as the overall winner at the specialty tea of the Year Contest in 2008 at the World Tea Expo in USA. Another brand – Sanquar Fannings reached the finals at the same Expo. The latter is similar to Japanese green tea fannings.
Peiris sees a bright future for green tea. “With green tea being accepted as helpful in reducing the incidence of cancer, lowering cholesterol, reducing tumours, more and more people are keen on green tea. This is because the main component of green tea is Catachins. It also has Vitamins B, C and E as well as other properties which lower blood pressure, strengthen blood vessel walls, prevent cavities, acts as anto-oxidant and build immunity in the system.”
Melfort Green Tea clients include Finlays, Jafferjee Brothers, Expo Lanka Teas, Tea Tang and Unilever.
