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| Sunday, 5 May 2002 |
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| News Business Features Editorial
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Keells enters domestic tea market John Keells Holdings has entered the domestic tea market with the launch of a new brand of packeted tea, Ran Kahata, by Gordon Frazer and Company Ltd., a Keells subsidiary. Gordon Frazer Managing Director Michael de Zoysa told a media briefing held to announce the launch that only 37 per cent of Sri Lanka's total tea exports are branded or in value added form, of which foreign owned brands are the majority. "So there is a lot of opportunity for our company to exploit this situation," he said. "The Keells Group had been involved in the tea business for over a century as a broker. As a plantations management company, it accounts for over 10 per cent or 30 million kilos of Lanka's tea crop. So it is only natural that we should enter the local market. The challenge for us is to add value to Ceylon Tea both at home and abroad and with this product, we have taken the first step towards becoming a major player in the world tea market," he said. John Keells Deputy Chairman Jagath Fernando said they decided to enter this area as they had realised that branding is where the money is. Exports of Ran Kahata will begin with key regional markets where there is room for another brand. The brand will be launched in three countries at least within this financial year, he said. Marketing Director of Gordon Frazer Stephan Anthonisz told the media that unbranded, loose tea accounts for 83 per cent of the market while only a 17 per cent share is held by the branded varieties. "We intend to get people to move away from unbranded to branded tea," he said. Delmege Distributors (Pvt.) Ltd., which has a large distributor network will be responsible for making Ran Kahata available throughout the island. |
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