Enduring the ancient history of Ceylonese Tea, Ridma Ayantha, the Managing Director of Rolanta Tea (Pvt) Ltd. continues to blend the traditional art of tea productions with the modern demands for tea.
Starting from a young age, Ridma had always been passionate about the purity of tea. Being a proud family owner of tea estates, he had the opportunity to indulge in the natural aroma of tea leaves, growing to recognize its significance. Originally from Galle, Ridma grasped the tales of the British tea cultivations from his antecedents. These stories left him mesmerized by the thought of running a tea processing factory alongside his lustrous tea estates. Investing in life-altering opportunities, Ridma now owns a 3000 square feet industrial landmark in Mathugama, transforming his visions into reality.
Disparate from the common attitude spread within the country, Ridma wanted to add more significance to his products. His interest was more to mark the quality of his products than promoting longer shelf life, turning his products to instilled classy superiorities. Rolanta Tea has also been ISO–9001 and ISO-22000 certified along with a horde of other certifications like USDA Organic NOP, EU, and JAS Organic Certificates. They have been endorsed ‘organic’ for being more environmentally sustainable and for promoting the ‘green’ concept throughout their estates. ‘An organic certification is hard to get ” adds Ridma. He values the use of chemical-free nourishments in the sprouting process to enhance the authentic flavours of each plant.
Rolanta Tea is based on the concept ‘quality over quantity’, providing their customers the utmost value for the price they pay. As per Ridma’s perspective, pricing can be tricky! Tea production is an industry with repeated unprofessional conduct in recent times, tends to weaken trust bonds of tea thirsty customers with the beverage itself, which in turn tarnishes the globalized brand existence for Ceylon tea. Hence, to alter this disastrous shift Rolanta tea makes quality their priority. Furthermore, exploring different tea blends from low grown to high grown is a tough responsibility that they accept with pride, sealing assurance of satisfaction for their customers.
According to Ridma, being successful requires integrity, which is exclusively portrayed via the Rolanta products. He finds a distinct prominence in delivering reassurance to his customers with the standards of Rolanta tea. Approaching decisions with a consistent mindset, Ridma, and his team strategizes the forthcomings of the company and the possible revolutions of tea in the future.
Ridma also emphasized the drastic impact of the pandemic on their operations. Essential services like shipping and transportation have been largely interrupted due to the constant restrictions and the elevation of tax rates all over the world. “Restrictions have interrupted the supply chain” he added when discussing the rising issues due to the pandemic. However, Rolanta tea has re-evaluated its strategies to make the most of this digitized period, taking their business further. Ridma also shares the inauguration of the recent branch in the UK as an initiative to expand its presence. This initiative has opened up virtual channels to deliver an online shopping experience for UK customers.
“Tea alternates as a beverage and a prestigious ornament across the world”. Being an existing exporter to the USA, China, Canada, Russia, Japan, and UK, Rolanta Tea plans to lead to culmination by multi-purposing their products. Incorporating customer’s diverse social change, tea blends fusing Ayurveda ingredients like Cinnamon and Moringa are focused primarily to expand in the future. Also contributing to the current demands of the pandemic, Rolanta Tea maneuvers to introduce herbal immunity drinks (health beneficial drinks) alongside a collaboration of tea-infused beverages like lemon-tea, lime-tea, and apple-tea adhering to the taste buds of their customers.
Ridma also stated the possibility of expanding their market into different sectors like spices and coconut based products, prioritizing the natural resources of the island. Meanwhile, Rolanta Tea will continue to radiate its brilliant eminence by upholding traditions and modernizing day by day.