Course Description

Tea Tasting & Technology is a Diploma based in Sri Lanka that covers the entire tea industry of Ceylon. The program is focused mainly on practicals in Tasting & Grading yet covers the entire industry and intends giving participants sufficient knowledge of each sector while going deep in to certain areas based on requirement, making the program suitable even for seniors in the trade who wish to grow their knowledge on other sectors. Each session will be divided in to two starting with practicals in tasting & grading followed by lectures. Site visits to a Plantation, Factory, Brokers tea room & logistic center, Tea Auction & Exporter warehouse/factory included. The program is most suited for entrepreneurs who intend exporting tea & those who wish to join the trade as Tasters. Below is a brief of the modules included.

Module: Tasting
Facilitator: Mr. Asoka Goonethilake (Consultant & Former Director Sri Lanka Tea Board Tasting unit)
Objective: Learn the art of Tasting Tea

This module is 100% practical with hands on training on how to brew & taste tea. It will train participants to identify difference in taste of tea from the main growing regions as well as seasonal characters. It will also train them to identify good teas against poor tea & faulty manufacture.

Module: Grading & Blending
Facilitator: Mr. Graham Stork (Founder of The herbal storage & Manager Sales & Marketing of Expoteas)
Experience: Over 25 years
Objective: Learn the art of Grading & Blending.

This module is 100% practical where participants will learn the different grades of Ceylon tea and then go on to grade them having created standards. It will also include blending to match the standard. Participants will also be introduced to the world of herbs & flavor with a blending session where each
participant creates his own signature blends.

Module: Introduction & History of tea
Facilitator:  Dr Ziyad Mohammed Consultant & Former Director Tea Research Institute of Sri Lanka
Experience: Over 35 years
Objective: Know the history behind the tea industry in Sri Lanka and globally

This module covers the discovery of tea in China, arrival & commercial planting of tea in Sri Lanka, Other growing countries, the main markets etc. You will also learn the different growing regions in Ceylon and what differentiates these teas from each other and the conditions that bring out the said characteristics in the tea.

Module: Planting
Facilitator: Mr. Ananda Fernando (Executive Director Eastern Brokers ltd)
Experience: Over 40 years
Facilitator:  Dr Ziyad Mohammed Consultant & Former Director Tea Research Institute of Sri Lanka
Experience: Over 35 years
Objective: Know how tea is planted & grown.

This module takes you on a visit to a tea plantation to understand how tea is planted and grown. It also covers nutritional requirements of a plant & disease and how to overcome some of the challenges a plant faces. It also covers how elevation, soil & climatic conditions effect the appearance & taste of tea. The module also includes class room sessions for further explanation and understanding.

Module: Manufacture
Facilitator:  Dr Ziyad Mohammed Consultant & Former Director Tea Research Institute of Sri Lanka
Experience: Over 35 years
Facilitator: Gerry Galahitiyawa (Ex Senior Research Officer in Tea Processing at Tea Research Institute of Sri Lanka )
Experience: Over 30 years
Objective: Know how Tea is Manufactured.

This module takes you to a tea factory to understand Orthodox Leafy manufacture, explaining in detail the function of each machine and how they contribute to the making of a perfect tea. The module also includes a classroom session where Rotovane & CTC manufacture will be explained alongside the science behind the many characteristics of tea.

Module: Broking
Failitator: Mr. Charmara Dissanayake (Senior Director of Asia Siyaka Commodities PLC)
Experience: Over 25 years
Objective: Know how the Auction & Distribution system functions within the Island.

This module takes you on a visit to a brokers Tea Room & Logistic Center as well as the Colombo Tea Auction. The module explains how over a million samples are packed & distributed for evaluation, how the Auction functions on the ‘word of a Gentleman’ and how teas come to Colombo and how they are distributed to buyers. The module includes a classroom session as well.

Module: Export
Facilitator: Mr. Graham Stork (Founder of The herbal storage & Manager Sales & Marketing of Expoteas)
Experience: Over 25 years
Objective: Know how a Tea exporter functions.

This module explains the work flow of a Tea Exporter from sampling to buying at the auctions to blending & shipment. It also includes branding with a bit of neuro-marketing and costing. A site visit to an exporters warehouse/factory included in the module.

Module: Shipping
Facilitator: Mrs. Amali Mudunkotuwa Mendis (General Manager Regency Teas)
Experience: Over 20 years
Objective: Understand shipping documentation

This module stresses on the importance of shipping documentation. It explains all essential documents along with an overview of optional documents on customer request. It also explains HS codes & all Inco terms along with other shipping jargon.

Module: Food Safety
Facilitator: Dr. Wishwajith Kandegama, Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Agriculture and Plantation Management, Wayamba University of Sri Lanka.
Experience: Over 15 years
Objective: Understand the importance of Food Safety & Certification.

This module takes us in to the history of food safety and highlights its importance for the wellbeing of humans & nature. It highlights the threats posed by improper food safety standards. It also gives an introduction to the main certifications such as GHP, GMP, HACCP, ISO, FSSC, Organic, Fairtrade,ETP,Rainforest etc.

Module: Regulations
Facilitator: Mr. Kavinda Illeperuma (Market Promotion Officer Sri Lanka Tea Board)
Experience: Over 15 years
Objective: Understand the regulations governing the industry.

This module explains the regulations governing the Tea industry of Sri Lanka. It also gives an overview of the functions of the Sri Lanka Tea Board and its efforts to protect and promote Ceylon Tea while encouraging exports.

Module: Branding
Facilitator: Mr. Graham Stork (Manager Expo Teas & former Manager George Steuart Teas)
Experience: Over 25 years
This module is a study of the various themes/styles used in Tea packaging. It also gives participants an idea of how to create a brand name, a payoff line and select corporate/brand colours.

Module: Costing
Facilitator: Mr. Graham Stork (Manager Expo Teas & former Manager George Steuart Teas)
Experience: Over 25 years
This module will run you through a C&F costing of a pack of teabags for export. It will also discuss how profit margins are determined.

Module: Tea & Health
Facilitator: Dr. Tissa Amarakoon (Author of Tea & Health / Snr Lecturer Department of Chemistry)
Experience: Over 30 years
Objective:  Know the Health benefits of tea
This module explains the health benefits of tea alongside a scientific explanation of the properties in tea that promote the said benefits. It also explains how good manufacture helps preserve the said goodness in tea.

Module: Marketing
Facilitator: Dr. Safraz Saleem (Country Manager, The Acme Laboratories, Bangladesh)
Objective: Look at marketing Tea in a non traditional manner
This module intends persuading participants & the industry to take a different approach to marketing tea. It will look at new markets, products and ideas which will encourage sales of tea in new areas with higher value addition & profit margins. There will be a few case studies on non-tea products to see how they have been successfully marketed.

Participant Evaluation:
Participants will not be burdened with examinations. However, a simple & creative project should be completed. As the number of participants are limited, evaluation of tasting & grading skills of each will be conducted in an informal manner ensuring required skills are gained during the session.

Pre Qualifications:

No pre-qualifications are required. However, reasonable knowledge of English language is required as it will be the medium of lectures. Questions in other languages will be accommodated and answered in same medium when possible.