Sri Lanka’s Watawala Tea Ceylon, a unit of listed Sunshine Holdings Plc, has struck a deal to supply its ‘Zesta Connoisseur’ premium tea brand to Shangro-La, an upmarket hotel chain with over 90 properties worldwide.

“Zesta Connoisseur and Shangri-La Hotels are a natural fit – with both luxury brands offering the best to their customers,” Sunshine Holdings PLC Group Managing Director Vish Govindasamy said in a statement.

“This landmark partnership with the prestigious Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts represents an important milestone for Watawala Tea Ceylon and Sunshine Holdings.

“We believe that the best strategy to develop Ceylon Tea is to build our own brands across the word with such partnerships.” Commencing with Shangri-La’s newly-opened luxury resort in Hambantota, ‘Zesta Connoisseur,’ a new and highly exclusive range of premium teas, will be provided to guests at all Shangri-La Hotels by Watawala Tea Ceylon.

‘Zesta Connoisseur’ range includes single origin black teas from Waltrim, Kenilworth and Shannon estates belonging to Watawala Plantations.

The range has flavoured teas in peach, strawberry, mango, almond, green tea and organic tea.

Watawala Tea Ceylon Ltd, a joint venture between Sunshine Holdings Plc, TATA Global Beverages and Wilmar-Singapore.

The firm not only caters to a richer customers but to is largest branded tea company in Sri Lanka, with three brands of Ceylon Tea, ‘Zesta Tea’, ‘Watawala Tea’ and ‘Ran Kahata], aimed at multiple customer segments.