Around 8,000 smallholders, and no broker in between
Almost all of Sri Lanka's tea is grown by smallholders on plots of a few acres. We buy their green leaf directly, support them before the harvest, and guarantee to take the crop when it comes.
- 8,000
- Smallholder farming partners
- 100%
- Green leaf bought direct from the farmer
- Year round
- Guaranteed buy-back of the crop
- Premium
- Paid above the standard green leaf price
Support that starts long before the harvest
A farmer who is backed through the whole season grows better leaf. That is the whole argument, and it is why we work this way.
Green leaf, bought direct
We procure green leaf straight from smallholder farmers. A direct relationship means fair prices, a shorter chain, and leaf that reaches the factory faster and fresher.
Our own nursery
We cultivate tea plants in our own nursery, which lets us give partner farmers superior planting material and control quality from the very first leaf.
Fertiliser assistance
We supply partner farmers with high quality fertiliser. It lifts the quality of their tea and supports sustainable agricultural practice on their land.
A buy-back guarantee
We commit to buying our partner farmers' crop. That guarantee is financial security and peace of mind, and it lets a farmer plan a season rather than gamble on one.
When our tea earns more, our farmers earn more
Farmer income is linked directly to the net sales average our teas achieve at the Colombo Tea Auction. We focus on quality and consistency rather than volume, which earns better prices at auction, which in turn means a consistently higher green leaf price paid back to the farmer.
On top of that we pay a premium over the regular green leaf purchasing price, as encouragement to keep leaf quality consistent and to grow their farming activity further. A share of our profits is allocated purely to the development of our farming families and their livelihoods.
Fully integrated, garden gate to export
Grown and plucked
Smallholder farmers grow and pluck the leaf on their own land, supported by our nursery stock and fertiliser.
Bought and manufactured
We buy the green leaf direct and manufacture it in our own plants, in both CTC and Orthodox methods.
Sold and exported
Our teas are sold at the Colombo Tea Auction and exported direct, and the price they earn flows back down the chain.
Our smallholder empowerment programme
Diriya Aruna is how we strengthen the bond, nurturing both livelihoods and long-term sustainability across our farming communities. It runs alongside the everyday commercial relationship rather than replacing it.
Beyond the programme, we invest in the communities our farmers live in, with projects in education, healthcare and infrastructure. Our dedication extends to our own staff, whose well-being and professional growth we prioritise, because a motivated team is what makes any of this work.
The people who grow it
In the field
Two leaves and a bud, plucked by hand.
At the collection point
Green leaf weighed and graded on the day it is picked.
At the nursery
Planting material raised for our partner farmers.