Merrill J. Fernando, the founder of Dilmah Tea, has passed away at the age of 93 in Colombo today, family sources said.
Born on May 6, 1930 in Pallansena, Negombo, Mr. Fernando launched his career as a tea taster in the 1950s and later worked as a tea planter.
In 1985, he played a pioneering role in revolutionizing the Sri Lankan tea industry by exposing it to the international market under the brand name ‘Dilmah’.
The Dilmah tea brand was created by incorporating the names of his two sons, Dilhan and Malik, which later became a popular brand.
