Imperial Tea Exports -:

'Most Outstanding Exporter of the Year'

Imperial Tea Exports, the manufacturer and exporter of high quality Ceylon tea was awarded the 'Most Outstanding Exporter of the Year' at the 18th National Chamber of Exporters of Sri Lanka (NCE) Awards Ceremony. Imperial Tea Exports also won the award for the 'Best Sri Lankan Brand Exporter' for 2009.

The NCE awards, held every year, identify and reward high performing Sri Lankan exporters, who contribute significantly towards the economic development of the country. Chairman of the Panel of Judges, Dr. Uditha Liyanage, stressed the importance of branding. He said that one aspect considered when selecting the winners was the way in which companies positioned their brands in the international markets.

Managing Director of Imperial Tea Exports Jayantha Karunaratne said, "This is a neutral and unbiased judgement of our work, which demonstrates the strength and solidity of Imperial Tea Exports and helps outsiders, especially our buyers, gain more confidence in our brand."

The company has recorded exceptional growth and high export value in the past year, despite the difficulties faced in the international markets due to the global recession.

Thus, the awards are a reflection of the company's commitment to build a strong brand identity, backed by a diverse portfolio of tea products coupled with excellent customer service and quality as key drivers of business value additions, he said.

One of the reasons for our applying for the NCE awards was to verify our performance vis-a-vis industry standards, said Chief Marketing Officer of Imperial Tea Exports Deepal Chandrasekera. The company's value growth in exports, research and development, brand promotions, productivity, net foreign exchange earned, job creation and new market development were assessed during the evaluation.