Ceciliyan Tea Factory, managed by Ceciliyan Associates Pvt Ltd in Kalawana, Ratnapura, was received a Gold award for being an Outstanding Tea Producer at the annual Total Excellence in Tea Production Awards 2018 organised by the Tea Exporters Association of Sri Lanka recently.
With the award in the ‘Low Grown’ category, Ceciliyan became the overall winner out of 125 tea factories in the Sabaragamuwa region. Ceciliyan was also the first runner-up in the same category in 2017. This track record of excellence is a fitting acknowledgment of the consistent and stringent high standards championed by the factory in the production of superior quality tea.
Ceciliyan has achieved five all-time record prices for their tea at the auctions as well as being adjudged ‘Best Entrepreneur of the Year (Sabaragamuwa Province)’ in 2017 by the Chamber of Commerce, Sabaragamuwa.
Nestled among the hills of Kalawana, adjoining the Sinharaja forest, the largest rainforest in the country, the Ceciliyan estate is in perfect harmony with nature. Tea has been planted on the estate since the early 1920s. Ceciliyan Associates Pvt Ltd is a family-run company, managed by CEO Paani M. Dias, a third generation family member. Under his management, the factory has flourished and now produces 3.5 million kilograms of made tea, by processing green leaf from over 6,500 small holders in the Kalawana area. This can be compared to the original production of less than 5,000 kilograms of made tea a year in the 1980s. The factory has facilities to produce both conventional and CTC teas, depending on market demand.
The Ceciliyan Tea Factory is widely regarded as a model factory in Sri Lanka that produces high quality teas. It has also earned many accreditations including the ISO 22000:2005 and Ethical Tea Partnership certificates. While tea continues to play a major role and will always be Ceciliyan’s main business and passion, rubber, cinnamon, coconut and paddy have also been grown in conjunction with tea. This has allowed the cultivation of a diverse ecosystem that does not hinder the natural equilibrium. Ceciliyan takes every measure necessary to make sure that it never disrupts nature, but empowers it.
With over 500 employees working round the clock to produce 3.5 million kilograms of black tea annually, Ceciliyan Tea Factory is committed to uplifting the lives of its dedicated employees, as well as the tea small holders, in every possible way. Ceciliyan has contributed to the healthcare and education of the families of all its stakeholders, creating a strong bond of trust over the years. It also promotes worker health and hygiene, as well as workplace cleanliness, as its highest priorities, ensuring that the tea received by consumers is always clean, free from any impurities and conforms to all international food standards.
In the past, Ceciliyan was mainly focused on selling its tea via the Colombo auction. Ceciliyan has introduced its factory fresh premium quality tea to the local market under the brand name of Ceciliyan Tea.