Taste worth celebrating

40th Anniversary Elegance — citrus-herb green tea in full bloom

On the chilly morning of 19th June, 2025 a group of friends and colleagues from media, grocery and hospitality industries and Dilmah gathered at Sydney iconic Opera House for a celebration. It was called the Future of Tea; it was worth celebrating as it marked 40 years since Dilmah Founder Merrill J. Fernando had offered tea picked, perfected, packed at source direct to his customers.

In 2025, that sounds quite normal but it was 1985 and when Dilmah Tea was first launched in Australia in September, 1985, it was the first time a grower in tea, coffee or cocoa offered their produce to customers. Four and a half centuries of European colonisation had ravaged the once rich island, with its advanced civilisation, cultural, environmental and scientific sophistication. 2 years after Ceylon, as Sri Lanka was then known, gained independence from Britain, Merrill J. Fernando embarked on his mission. 35 years later Dilmah reached Australian consumers.

35 years is a very long time for a farmer to bring his produce to market. Merrill J. Fernando was neither slow nor patient – armed solely with his faith in God, his belief in integrity and quality, and a relentless determination, he battled a colonial economic system. In 1948 our nation received her political independence, although the battle was against transnational corporations – heirs to colonial economic power – whose market dominance and access had set the stage for colonial exploitation to continue.

Embraced by views of Sydney Harbour, and the warmth of some of Ceylon’s Finest Teas, we explored the incredible diversity of taste, the natural antioxidant goodness and purpose in fine tea. Insight from Edith Cowan University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dr. Benjamin H. Parmenter explained the powerful, natural health potential in tea. Ben was co-lead of researchers from Australia, Ireland and Australia whose findings suggest that, “Flavonoid intakes of around 500 mg a day was associated with a 16% lower risk of all-cause mortality, as well as a ~10% lower risk of CVD, type 2 diabetes, and respiratory disease. That’s roughly the amount of flavonoids that you would consume in two cups of tea.”

Then there was my father’s friend and our passionate partner in tea inspired gastronomy, Chef Peter Kuruvita, who shared his unique perspective on crafting a richer high tea experience by putting fine tea back in high tea. Guests savoured our 85 Reserve collection, launched to mark that day in 1985 when my father changed the world of tea. Our teas dignified Peter’s exceptional cuisine, first enhancing that experience with flavours, aromas, texture elevated and next a clean palate underlining the taste experience, and assuring enhanced digestion afterwards for a truly holistic combination.

There is another side to tea gastronomy, and that is the delicious synergy that tea and cheese conspire to present when savoured together. The magic of tea pairing with fine food or cheese is simple explained as 1+1 equalling 5. Good tea, delightful on its own, good food, similarly delicious on its own, together elevated by an explosion of flavour, texture and flavour harmony. Like many of life’s most valuable lessons, the phenomenon of tea pairing cannot be explained; it must be experienced.

Thus came Valerie Henbest, a phenomenon in cheese, explaining the subject of her passion in melodic, accented English. Watte, tea from the four distinctive tea growing regions of Sri Lanka, first launched in 2003 by my father, were reborn as Watte, Single Garden Teas. They each magnificently expressed the quality of cheeses that Valerie presented through the fingerprint of nature, the sunshine, winds, rainfall, and soils that produce aroma, flavour, mouthfeel and finish in fine tea.

The finale was a little different. My son Amrit Merrill Joseph Fernando, offering a youthful perspective on his grandfather’s tea – through the lens of mixology. In its extraordinary, nature induced variety, there is a tea for every mood, celebration and season, and for every salad, entrée, dessert, cheese .. and spirit. Joined by Sai Hamsala, Sri Lankan-Australian mixologist, Amrit offered iced tea with our Elixir of Ceylon Tea and introduced Sai, tea cocktail mixology fuelled by tea and cinnamon inspired gins from Dutch Rules Distilling.

It was an occasion worth celebrating. Not for taste, nor for wellness, or for gastronomy, but as an acknowledgement that good taste is a construct that cannot be limited to palate alone. 40 years ago, my father’s invitation to customers to ‘do try it,’ had rich context in his promise of taste, natural goodness and kindness to people and nature. 40 years later, that pledge – now the legacy of the world’s Teamaker – has only intensified in its impact.

As the 2nd and 3rd generation of Dilmah, the legacy of taste that we honour is not limited to the palate of our guests. It begins with our soils and biodiversity, it expands through advocacy for a better world, it is defined by integrity, innovation that is genuine, taste that is good for our customers, and it is strengthened by the livelihoods of less fortunate people around the world. Good taste must always resonate across palate, wellness, and genuinely, positively impact lives and nature.

That’s the kind of taste that’s worth celebrating.

(The writer is CEO and Chairman of Dilmah Ceylon Tea Company PLC, and also chairs Dilmah Ceylon Cinnamon Company and Kahawatte Plantations PLC. As the younger son of founder Merrill J. Fernando, he upholds the philosophy of “Business as a Matter of Human Service,” leading global marketing and sustainability efforts that link Dilmah’s success to positive impact. He is Managing Trustee of the MJF Charitable Foundation, Director of Dilmah Conservation, and serves as Chairman of Biodiversity Sri Lanka and Global Compact Network Sri Lanka. Dilhan is also an Adjunct Professor of Practice in Sustainability at Edith Cowan University.)