Top 5 Tea Companies in Bangladesh
For Bengalis, the first thing that comes to mind after waking up early in the morning is the thought that they will get to smell and taste one of the most aromatic drinks in the world. Yes, we are talking about tea!
Most people here start their day with a cup of tea. To quench the thirst of this national drink, the tea industry here in Bangladesh has reached quite the height. Some of the biggest tea companies are not only dealing with the demand nationally but are also exporting it internationally. The tea industry in Bangladesh dates back to the British period. And since then, tea has become an integral part of Bangladeshi culture.
In Bangladesh, tea cultivation first started near the Chittagong Club in the 1840s. And Malnicherra in Sylhet is the first tea garden of Bangladesh which was established in 1854 and began commercial production in 1857. Now, there are several tea companies in Bangladesh that have become prolific through the production of the finest tea leafs. They are:
1. Ispahani
The Ispahanis have been doing business in South Asia since 1820. Mirza Mohammed Ispahani established the Calcutta office of M.M. Ispahani & Sons in 1900. In 1947, the corporate head office was moved to Chittagong, where it stands today. Till date it is one of the largest & oldest tea companies in Bangladesh. Currently, about 80% of the tea bag market is in the grasp of Ispahani. Along with regular tea, Ispahani also makes Green Tea and Black Tea for their famous line up.
2. Finlay
Finlay is one of the oldest tea companies in Bangladesh and it dates back to 1882 when the company began its journey during the British period. Their main office is situated in Agrabad, Chittagong. Initially, the company was owned by James Finlay Ltd. But then James Finlay Ltd. sold the company, factories, and its tea estates that are located in Habiganj and Moulvibazar districts to Bangladeshi entrepreneurs. However, James Finlay Ltd. retained the “Finlay Tea” brand name.
3. Kazi & Kazi Tea
Interestingly enough, Kazi & Kazi tea is the only organic tea growing company in Bangladesh. They are also internationally certified as organic tea growers. Kazi & Kazi started their journey in 2000, and their garden is located in Tetulia, in the northernmost district of Panchagarh. The company was founded by Kazi Shahid Ahmed, Chairman of Gemcon Group, who’s main goal was to improve the lives of the people working in tea fields.
4. HRC
HRC is one of the most popular tea companies in Bangladesh. And they have been in business since 1991. The Government of Bangladesh has granted “CIP” status to HRC for its export achievements in 1991/1992. As a matter of fact, HRC has been exporting their tea products to various countries such as Russia , Poland, and Pakistan to name a few. Moreover, the brand has won eleven awards for its export endeavors which include 9 Gold and 2 Silver trophies. Rather than developing different flavours , HRC mainly focuses on the different blends of the tea , right now they have about 13 different blends of tea in a variety of sizes.
5. Tetley ACI
Tetley ACI Bangladesh Ltd. (TABL) is a joint venture initiative of Tata Global Beverages and ACI Limited. The company has been operating in Bangladesh since 2003 and have been serving the people of the country with premium quality tea for almost two decades. Moreover, Tata Global Beverages is the second largest tea company in the world and the brand is on the path to become the market leader of the natural beverages industry.