Spread the love

One of the world’s foremost teamakers is Australia-bound to reinforce a key health message: drinking a daily cup of tea can help you live longer.

Few know the benefits of black tea as well as Dilhan Fernando, CEO of Dilmah Tea, who is visiting Australia next month.

“Black tea isn’t just a beverage, it’s a shield against illness and a tonic for vitality. With its proven ability to boost immunity, a daily cup of plain Ceylon black tea can fortify your defences against the flu and common colds, helping you stay strong and resilient especially throughout winter,” Mr Fernando said.

He will be extolling the health virtues of tea at masterclasses in Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide, as well as a special engagement with the residents of the RSL LifeCare ANZAC Village at Narrabeen in Sydney, where he will host high tea with Dilmah ambassador and chef Peter Kuruvita on May 14.

Studies suggest that drinking a single cup of tea a day over a long period of time delivers enough antioxidants to protect you from infections and improve the body’s response time against pathogens or foreign bodies – helping to fight against colds and flu and stave off the ageing process.

Recent research by the University of Georgia in the USA has also shown that drinking tea could help fight COVID by “inactivating” the disease in the mouth, adding an additional layer of intervention.

Ceylon black tea is known to be ideal for boosting your immune system against bacteria that cause colds, coughs and influenza. Experts recommend drinking 4-5 cups of handpicked, unblended single origin tea, to help boost immunity.

Accompanied by his son Amrit, Mr Fernando’s visit underscores Dilmah Tea’s dedication to continuing his father Merrill’s legacy of tea-making excellence and social impact as the company approaches its 40th anniversary.

In recent years, Dilmah Tea has expanded its philanthrophy in Australia, forging partnerships with the Salvation Army and children’s cancer charity My Room to make each cup of Dilmah tea benefit your health and the wellbeing of others.

At the centre of the Dilmah brand is its “Cup of Kindness” commitment. A minimum 15 per cent of pre-tax profit from sales of Dilmah tea directly benefits the work carried out by the MJF Charitable Foundation and Dilmah Conservation. The MJF Charitable Foundation was established to honour Merril’s wish to ensure that his business serves humanity through kindness to people and nature. During the past 22 years the foundation has had a positive impact on the lives of more than one million people in marginalised communities of Sri Lanka.

Since Merrill’s pioneering efforts to introduce Dilmah Tea to Australian households in 1985, the brand has become synonymous with quality and tradition. As consumer tastes have evolved, Dilmah has remained at the forefront of innovation, introducing new varieties while staying true to its heritage.

Among the latest releases is the Dilmah 85 Reserve, which offers exquisite handpicked Ceylon tea in luxury teabags. Each batch of this artisanal tea is hand-selected and crafted by Merrill J. Fernando, the master teamaker himself, to bring a taste of indulgence to the everyday.