About Us
Our Story
A captivating journey through the legacy of our unique story.
Founder
Having commenced his apprenticeship in the tea industry in 1985, Mr. Shiran Gunawardhana has acquired an in-depth knowledge of all aspects of creating the finest quality Ceylon Tea. He currently owns the ‘Liyota’ and ‘Lions’ tea factories.
He sources hand-plucked tea leaves from the best tea plantations in southern Sri Lanka and is personally involved in all aspects of producing his unique brand of tea — from choosing the leaves, consisting of two leaves and a bud, to processing, manufacturing, blending and packing.
He is ably assisted by a team of expert tea tasters, blenders and factory staff, who ensure that their teas delight the most discerning connoisseurs of Pure Ceylon Tea throughout the world.
A Brief History
World-renowned Ceylon Tea had its beginnings in 1867. when Scotsman, James Taylor, first began its commercial planting in the district of Kandy in Sri Lanka. He soon built a large factory, installing machines of his own invention, for the processing and packing of tea. Today, Ceylon Tea has emerged as the world’s foremost brand of tea, in addition to being one of the largest foreign exchange earners for Sri Lanka.
Ceylon Tea can be classified into ‘High-grown tea’ from the central highlands, grown at elevations as high as 6.000 feet and above; ‘Mid-grown tea’ grown between 2,000 and 4,000 feet; and ‘Low-grown tea’ from the southern parts of the island, which is grown up to an elevation of about 2,000 feet above sea level.
