Devagiri Tea Estate is nestled in the village of Yakkalamulla, Sri Lanka, and has produced excellent quality tea for almost 80 years. Now under new owners, the company is implementing a novel business model to improve the lives of its workforce community. Co-Owners and Managing Directors
Roshana Gammampila and Mike Bailey discussed the changes being implemented and their hopes for the future, during an in-depth interview with Inside Food & Drink. Report by Imogen Ward.
Devagiri has been privately owned since 1947, when Francis Nanayakkara (grandfather to Roshana) bought the estate. He spent his life producing some of the finest tea in Sri Lanka, and upon his passing, the honour was handed down to his 10 children.
The siblings ran the estate for 45 years before the harsh economy and the effects of a demanding supply chain took their toll.
It was at this point that Roshana Gammampila and Mike Bailey stepped in.
“Two years ago, Mike and I were visiting Sri Lanka, and thought we’d pop by to see everyone,” explained Roshana. “When we arrived, we found the entire estate in distress. My mum and her siblings had made the difficult decision to sell the business as it had been unprofitable for a long time, and they could no longer weather the storm.
“The most concerning factor of the sale was what would happen to the estate’s resident population. It was unlikely that new owners would retain its function as a tea estate, which would lead to the displacement of an entire working community of 150 people. That was beyond belief, because it has been their home for four generations.”
Roshana and Mike went in search of investment before buying the property in January 2023, when they kickstarted their journey in running the estate.
From the beginning, they maintained a vision of developing a sustainable business – both environmentally and economically –and it was not long before they discovered the main source of the problem.
From farm to table
A few months in, the new owners realised that the company’s supply chain was the problem.
“It became clear that there are too many players in the supply chain and the value of the product is being eroded, which is why so little goes back to the producing community,” explained Roshana. “This isn’t unique to Devagiri or Sri Lanka. This distribution model has been in place across the world since British colonial times; it hasn’t evolved in 200 years! We realised it was time for a change.”
Devagiri introduced a new ‘farm to table’ approach to improve the traceability of its products and increase producer pay.
“We are working to implement our ‘farm to table’ approach to get fairer prices for our people, but we are at the very beginning of our journey,” said Mike. “We have introduced this concept to the market, and have received a positive reception, so we are hopeful for what the future may hold.”
When it comes to ‘farm to table’ Devagiri believes that by shortening the chain, consumers will get a fresher product, the end retail price is likely to stay the same (if not drop even lower) and the growers and pickers will get the higher wage they deserve.
“This community has been living in poverty for 200 years, and we are determined to break that cycle. Our hope is that others will follow suit once they see the impact it can have,” explained Roshana. “We have already increased the wage of our workers to 20 per cent more than the average within Sri Lanka and the ‘farm to table’ approach will help us push this further.”
Implementing change
Increasing pay at the estate is just one of the many improvements the new owners are looking to make to enhance the wellbeing of Devagiri’s community. They discovered that five children living on the estate had lost a parent, and Devagiri now provides funding to support their upbringing. The company also covers the medical expenses of a few within the community and supports child development with the provision of
educational resources and transport to local pre-school facilities.
“We will support our community in every way we can but, ultimately, we need to shorten the supply chain so that our community can be paid fairly. The supply chain is the fundamental challenge they face,” explained Roshana.
“During the last 18 months, we have learned so much,” added Mike. “If we compared where we were at the beginning to where we are today, then we are in a much better place. We have started to make progress, and we have a greater understanding of the industry, the estate and the tea, but we still have a long way to go.
“Overcoming the hurdles of an entrenched supply chain and improving the livelihoods of our community will take time, but we are committed for the long term. We are more determined than ever to see this through.”
Back to nature
Of course, the estate is not only home to a bustling community, but also a beautiful ecosystem.
To boost soil health, the team grows other plants and trees alongside the tea bushes. In some areas of the estate, the skyline is filled with Albizia trees, making it look rather different to the traditional image of a tea estate. These trees work in harmony with the tea plants, providing them with the perfect shade to grow and flourish. And, when trimmed, the foliage from these trees acts as a natural fertiliser, replenishing the soil.
This polyculture approach also means that the estate is home to wildlife including
peacocks, porcupines and monkeys, as well as the smaller animals and insects that they feed on. All this biodiversity means that Devagiri’s soil is rich in natural micronutrients.
“Since 1947, Devagiri has followed the ‘orthodox method’ of tea production,” explained Roshana. “If you were to speak to a connoisseur, they would probably highlight our ‘FF1 extra special’ tea as one of our best.
But, in the UK, our breakfast tea blend is the best seller – it has a nice malty flavour that people seem to love.
Devagiri’s tea bags are 100% biodegradable, the company relies on solar power and it has reforested five acres of land (returning to the jungle terrain that runs along the border of the property). Most importantly, the ‘farm to table’ approach it is pioneering significantly shrinks carbon in the supply chain.
More recently, the company has developed its own infused range, which features black tea infused with vanilla and cinnamon. This is brand new to the UK market and has received positive feedback so far.
As Devagiri Tea Estate continues to work towards a bolder, brighter future – where tea growers are paid fairly and the ‘farm to table’ approach is adopted. It intends to continue making the same great tea that the market has come to know and love, with perhaps a few additions along the way.
“Whatever we do, we are keen to keep it true to Sri Lanka, and we are committed to always using local products’” commented Mike.
“Ultimately, we want to prove that our way of working is possible,” added Roshana, in conclusion. “Devagiri has been making great tea since 1947. We know that our tea is good and that it sells, but we’d like to demonstrate that it is possible to sell ‘farm to table’ and, in doing so, break the cycle of poverty that people have been living in for generations.” n
