Japan - Sri Lanka tea trade growth appreciated

Few guests representing Kirin Beverage Company, Japan visited Sri Lanka on a courtesy call to mark the 20th anniversary of tea business transactions with Sri Lanka.

Last year marked the 20th anniversary of Kirin Gogo no Kocha (afternoon tea) which first went on sale in 1986. Over the past 20 years, 525.6 million boxes have been sold, equivalent of over 10 billion 500 ml plastic bottles.


A press conference was held yesterday with Kirin Beverage Corporation Japan delegates. (From L to R) Isobuchi Jakshi, Chairman of KBC Japan Arai Yoshikaya, Minister of Education Susil Premajayanth, Chairman, Hansa Foundation Nawalage Bennet Cooray participated at the conference to mark the event. Inset : As the top brand in the black tea market, Kirin Gogo no Kocha (mean “Afternoon tea” in English) which manufactured using Sri Lankan superior quality tea continues to propose a new level of taste that is changing the conventional image of black tea in Japan. Picture by Bandula Wijesurendra

Which is the superior quality tea leaves from Sri Lanka, the world’s largest exporter of black tea, which has supported us over the 20 year period.

Kirin Beverage Company, which uses roughly 2,000 tons of Sri Lankan black tea leaves every year, has started the “Book Donation Project” for the elementary schools attended by the children of the people that work in Sri Lanka’s tea plantations to express our “gratitude towards the past 20 years, and for the continued cooperation in the future.” a press release states.

A project consists of ongoing donation activities in the form of yearly donations of high-quality books that can continue to be read long into the future to the children who will create Sri Lanka’s future, as well as building ‘Kirin Beverage Libraries’ in elementary schools is also in cards.

Through these activities we would like to express our appreciation for Sri Lanka, which produces black tea for us, and that our hearts will continue to go out to them for the future.

For the current visit, donation activities will be conducted for the Haputale elementary school in the Uva district.

Hereafter, books will be donated to these three schools over five years, and libraries with about 100 books will be set up, the press release further states.