Tissa Atapattu

Merrill and I commenced our careers in the Tea industry of Ceylon around the same time, just a few years apart when he started at AF Jones and I commenced Tea Planting with Bosanquet and Skrine Ltd., We first met in the Tea circles and he became an instant friend and friends thereafter for life. Our Tea connection in the industry ended when I decided to migrate to the U.S. with my family in the early ‘70’s, with the threat of Nationalization looming over us. However, Merrill and I have kept in close touch through correspondence. Merrill was our very first visitor to Los Angeles, after we migrated.

Merrill is the ONLY person both in Sri Lanka or in any part of the TEA producing world who has been TOTALLY committed to TEA, all his life. There is more TEA liquor of the highest quality flowing through his veins than BLOOD, and that explains his longevity, similar to an ASSAM or the CHINA Jat tea bush. Merrill is a blend of the best!

One cannot measure the magnitude of effort and labour Merrill has given to CEYLON TEA. No other single person or company worldwide can claim total dedication to CEYLON Tea as Merrill can. The DILMAH brand he created has consistently been the leader in TEA exports from Sri Lanka and Merrill Fernando and DILMAH are synonymous with CEYLON TEA. I strongly recommend to the Tea Board , if they wish to successfully market CEYLON TEA they should seriously follow the conventional and recommended marketing strategy of BRAND marketing, like the WINE and Coffee industries. Market DILMAH to represent CEYLON TEA.

Congratulations Merrill, I wish you more strength in our ‘cuppa” and a long and healthy life ahead of you.

Your lifelong friend
Tissa Atapattu