Founder and former Chief Executive Officer of Dilmah Tea, Deshamanya Merrill J Fernando has passed away at the age of 93, his family announced. 

Late Mr. Fernando who devoted his life for tea, was born in Negombo in 1930. He learned tea tasting under OP Rust, Ceylon Tea Controller’s Advisor in 1950 and worked as a tea assistant at AF Jones and Co. In 1962, he resigned from AF Jones and started Ceylon Tea Services Company, later that year establishing Merrill J Fernando Company and exporting bulk tea to Russia, USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Libya, Egypt and Saudi Arabia. 

In 1985, Sri Lanka’s first value added Ceylon Tea brand “Dilma” was launched. In 2001, Dilmah also sponsored the Sri Lanka national cricket team. 

In 2002, the MJF Charitable Foundation was established. 

In 2015, late Mr.Fernando was named an Honouree of the Oslo Business for Peace Award and in 2016 was felicitated as ‘Honoured Citizen’ by the Mayor of Colombo. The same year he was honoured with FIRST Award for Responsible Capitalism for improving lives of underprivileged children and deprived communities. 

In 2016, Dilmah School of Tea received the World Chefs certification. 

In 2018, the Dilmah Tea Founder was honoured by World Chefs with the Lifetime Achievement Award. 

In 2019, Mr. Fernando was bestowed with the ‘Deshamanya’ title. The same year he was capped as a Doctor of Science by Massey University in New Zealand. 

From the launch of the tea gastronomy revolution ‘The Culinaire’ to Ceylon Tea Trails, Dilmah Conservation, Dilmah Chefs and Teamaker Australia programmes, the renowned Teamaker gave life to pure Ceylon tea with many local and global programmes and events. 

The remains  will lie at Respect funeral parlour on Friday 21 from 8.00 am to 8.00 pm, Saturday 8.00 am to noon.

. A private burial will be held at St.Mary’s Pallansena, Negombo at 4.00 pm on Saturday(22).