Empire Teas

What Empire Teas does

Empire Teas is a privately held, third-generation family-owned Sri Lankan tea exporter founded in 2000 and headquartered in Angoda. The company sources, blends, and packages Ceylon and African-origin teas, operating a 14 million kg annual export business that reaches 70+ countries and is estimated to serve approximately 7 billion cups per year. Empire is positioned among Sri Lanka's top five tea exporters and reportedly the second largest by value. Its portfolio combines proprietary consumer brands (Hyson, Thurson, Akina, and Ceylon Wild Harvest organic spices) with comprehensive B2B services including bulk tea supply and end-to-end private label solutions covering sourcing, custom blending, packaging design, and shipment.

The business runs on a B2B export model with selective direct-to-consumer exposure. Core services include bulk tea export across Ceylon, African, and Chinese origins in multiple grades (orthodox, CTC, decaf); private label production for global brands and retailers; and diversified teabag and packeting formats including pyramid, double-chamber, and eco-friendly options. Production is supported by modern blending and packaging facilities at the Angoda headquarters and the wholly-owned Empire Kenya EPZ Ltd subsidiary, with regional sales and marketing operations in China (Shanghai), the Netherlands, and Spain. A domestic lifestyle café concept, Tea Avenue, provides a small direct-to-consumer channel within Sri Lanka.

Empire Teas maintains an unusually deep certification stack (ISO 9001:2025, FSSC 22000, BRCGS, IFS, SMETA, Fair Trade, Rainforest Alliance, USDA/EU/JAS Organic, Halal, Kosher, Lion Logo, FDA registration) that supports entry into premium private-label, institutional, and regulated retail channels across multiple regions. The company is led by Tea Master Lushantha de Silva and reports a headcount of 101-250 employees. No public funding rounds, M&A activity, or external institutional investors are disclosed.

Name

Empire Teas

Legal name

Empire Teas (Pvt) Ltd

Website

https://empireteas.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Empire Teas is a third-generation, family-owned Sri Lankan tea exporter that sources, blends, and packages Ceylon and African-origin teas in bulk and private-label formats, serving retailers, distributors, and brands across 70+ countries from facilities in Sri Lanka and Kenya.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Tea Export and Private Label Manufacturing

NAICS

Coffee and Tea Manufacturing (311920)

SIC

Beverages (2080)

akta.pro primary industry

Tea (Leaf, Bagged, Instant, Concentrates) (CRADAHAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Tea Blending & Flavoring (AFAFADAG), Specialty Coffee & Tea (Single-Origin, Micro-lot, Premium) Processing (AFAFADAJ)

Keywords

• Bulk tea export
• Private label tea
• Ceylon tea exporter
• Tea blending services
• Tea packaging solutions

Headquarters

HQ city

Angoda

HQ country

Sri Lanka

HQ region

Asia

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Bulk Tea Export: Export of bulk teas including Ceylon teas (Nuwara Eliya, Dimbula, Uva, Uda Pussellawa, Kandy, Ruhuna, Sabaragamuwa), African teas, Chinese teas, single garden teas, orthodox grades, CTC teas, and decaf teas to global markets.
2. Private Label Solutions: Full-service private label offerings for retailers and brands including tea sourcing, custom blending, packaging design, production, and shipment handling under client brand names.
3. Branded Product Sales: Sales of proprietary brands including Hyson Teas, Thurson Teas, Akina Teas, and Ceylon Wild Harvest organic spices through distribution channels globally.
4. Tea Avenue Cafés: Modern lifestyle café brand bringing tea experiences to consumers, creating connection, culture, and community around Ceylon tea.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Empire Teas is a Sri Lankan tea exporter that sources, blends, and packages Ceylon and African-origin teas for global B2B clients. The company supplies bulk teas, operates comprehensive private label services from sourcing through shipment, and markets its own proprietary brands (Hyson, Thurson, Akina, Ceylon Wild Harvest) across 70+ countries.

Product overview

Empire Teas is a Sri Lankan tea exporter operating as a portfolio of branded products and services. Its core brands include Thurson Teas (heritage Ceylon tea), Hyson Teas (modern Ceylon excellence), Akina Teas (premium African-origin teas), and Ceylon Wild Harvest (organic Ceylon spices). The company complements these brands with private label and bulk tea services, offering end-to-end solutions from sourcing and blending to packaging and shipping. Additional offerings include teabag and packeting packaging services, and decaffeinated tea products.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Thurson Teas: Premium Ceylon tea brand honoring the legacy of legendary tea planter Thurson de Silva, crafted with tradition and family heritage.
• Hyson Teas
• Akina Teas
• Ceylon Wild Harvest
• Tea Avenue

Products and services

• Thurson Teas
• Hyson Teas
• Akina Teas
• Ceylon Wild Harvest
• Private Label Services
• Bulk Tea Supply
• Teabag Packaging
• Packeting Services
• Decaffeinated Tea

Quantifiable outcome

• 14 million kilograms of premium Ceylon Tea exported annually to 70+ countries
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and regional.

• Empire Kenya EPZ LtdcoreOthers · 1 January 2017Fully owned production facility and subsidiary in Kenya's Export Processing Zone, operational since 2017. Enables direct sourcing and production of African-origin teas and serves as regional hub for East African operations.
• Tea AvenuecoreOthersModern lifestyle café brand under the Empire Group. Reimagines the tea experience as a space for connection, culture, and the timeless elegance of Ceylon tea. Represents direct-to-consumer presence in Sri Lanka.
• Empire China (Shanghai)regionalOthersRegional operation in China established to bring teas closer to Chinese consumers and introduce Ceylon and African teas to the Chinese market.
• Empire NetherlandsregionalOthersEuropean regional operation established to serve European markets with Empire Teas products.
• Empire SpainregionalOthersNew venture in Spain with Empire Teas leadership, with plans to offer consumers great tea products in the Spanish market.
• Thurson TeascoreOthersSignature brand rooted in legacy, crafted with soul, and steeped in timeless Ceylon tradition. Named after legendary tea planter Thurson de Silva.
• Hyson TeascoreOthersSignature brand crafted with care, rooted in tradition, and perfected for the modern connoisseur. Exports to Russia and global markets.
• Akina TeascoreOthersBrand inspired by the quiet strength of women, offering premium African-origin teas. Represents African tea portfolio for global markets.
• Thurson Teas PolandregionalOthersRegional brand operation in Poland serving European markets with Thurson Teas products.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Market position

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC02m0pedS7oUdlGpO6-MKhQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/EmpireTeasSL
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/empire-teas-pvt-ltd
• Instagraminstagram.com/empire_teas
• Xx.com/EmpireTeas

Compliance16 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Empire Teas