12/04/2026
Mitsui, one of the leading tea buyers in Japan, visited Bogawantalawa Tea Estates after nearly 24 years. Their last visit was during the tenure of Mr. Bernard Holsinger, when he was the Superintendent of Norwood Estate. At that time, they were escorted by the late Mr. Michael De Soyza of Unilever, a well-known personality in the tea industry as well as in the cricketing world.
It was truly a pleasure to welcome the Mitsui team once again, this time to Bogawana Estate, under the supervision of Mr. Robin Winter, Superintendent. They were accompanied by one of their main buyers, Kirin Holdings Company. The visit was coordinated through Heritage Tea Ceylon, another leading tea exporter in the country. Mr. Revanka De Silva, Director of Heritage Teas, and Mr. Roshan David, General Manager – Business and Product Development, accompanied the delegation during the visit.
A warm welcome ceremony was arranged by the management of Bogawana Estate, hosting the Japanese national flag alongside the Sri Lankan flag and the company flag, in honor of the visiting delegation.
The buyers toured the factory and tasted the latest teas produced, including the artisan teas, which impressed them greatly. They also held discussions on our sustainability programmes and CSR activities, which they appreciated. The team visited the Child Development Centres and conducted separate discussions with factory staff and estate workers, which concluded very positively.
