Dilhan Fernando Archives

Dilmah Tea threatens to quit Australian supermarkets in cost dispute with major retailers Source:FT The Australian: One of the world’s biggest tea companies, Dilmah Tea, has threatened to pull its products from Australian supermarket shelves unless the major retail chains agree to pay more for its handcrafted brands of Ceylon teas and cease their demands for discounts. Leading Sri Lankan businessman and Dilmah Tea Chief Executive Dilhan Fernando, said the company had been losing money in Australia for more than a decade and its market share continued to fall as it refused to compromise its commitment to sustainability and ethical sourcing. Dilmah, Sri Lanka’s biggest global brand, is sold in over 100 different countries around the world and is among the top 10 tea brands globally. However Fernando revealed Dilmah would be prepared to pull out of mainstream retail and become a super-premium brand for sales just through hospitality venues ...

The grand old man of tea – Merrill J Fernando With two celebrations falling this month, turning 90 and marking 70 years in the tea trade, ‘Mr. Dilmah’, Merrill J. Fernando talks to Kumudini Hettiarachchi Ninety years old……..while those of his vintage have long left the boardroom, maybe 30 years before, the ‘brand’ of Dilmah Tea who is Merrill J. Fernando is in his office in the Peliyagoda complex before 8.30 in the morning. Source: Sunday Times The new coronavirus which has brought about a strict lockdown and curfew in Colombo has put paid to his daily work schedule. Nonetheless, he is on the job at home, looking closely at a new deal with a well-known company in Australia which usually promotes only its own brand but recently has been in negotiations with Dilmah to take up this brand as well. Conference calls are the order of the day with ...