Heladiv launches Tea Club

by Senani THENUWARA

Heladiv Foods launched the Heladiv Tea Club (HTC) at the newly built shopping precinct at Old Dutch Hospital Building last week.

Rohan Fernado

The HTC comprising a tea saloon, a dessert bar and a boutique was commissioned by Minister of Plantation Industries Mahinda Samarasinghe. Minister Samarasinghe said that the value of serving a quality cup of tea to a foreigner will prove the local identity.

The importance of upcoming trends like tea cafes absorb the essence of the rapid phase of development, which has resulted in a boom in tourist arrivals.

HVA Chairman Rohan Fernado, said HTC is a peerless concept that will serve as a place where a person can relax and unwind while enjoying a favourite beverage. Customers are facilitated to purchase regular or gift tea and even place orders for delivery.

A variety of products ranging from fruit tea, flavoured green tea to ice tea are available to cater to different consumer demands.

The company has incurred around Rs. 10m for its establishment.

According to Fernando, it is the expectation of the company to enhance worldwide operations through establishing at least three similar cafes in Australia, India and Canada by 2012.

The company is examining the potential to introduce similar establishments in major cities throughout Sri Lanka.

Heladiv Foods PLC, subsidiary of HVA Group, being the first public listed tea exporter in Sri Lanka caters to novel trends in the global tea industry, induced by the tag line; " Inspired by Innovation".

Being an international tea brand, Heladiv intends to capture the market through customer value creation via innovation. Holding the franchise rights to the brand "Heladiv" registered in more than 40 countries worldwide, the company is currently in a joint venture with a Chinese group operating 22 tea saloons in China.