Bogawantalawa Tea enters Saudi Arabia’s Tamimi hypermarket chain

Sri Lanka’s premium Bogawantalawa Tea was officially launched at Tamimi Markets, one of Saudi Arabia’s leading hypermarket chains, at a ceremony held in Riyadh on 9 July, marking a further expansion of premium Ceylon Tea in the Kingdom.

Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Ameer Ajwad, inaugurated the launch and said Saudi Arabia remains one of the most important export destinations for Ceylon Tea. He noted that the introduction of Bogawantalawa Tea represented another milestone in strengthening the presence of premium Sri Lankan tea in the Saudi market.

The Ambassador thanked Tamimi Markets for providing a platform to introduce premium Sri Lankan tea to Saudi consumers and proposed establishing a dedicated “Sri Lanka Corner” at the supermarket chain to showcase a wider range of premium Sri Lankan products. He also highlighted the steady growth of Sri Lankan exports to Saudi Arabia in recent years and stressed the need to further diversify the country’s export basket.

Bogawantalawa Tea Ceylon Co-Chairman Lalith Kumar Ambani said the company’s Ceylon Tea Gardens brand is internationally recognised for its quality, distinctive flavour, freshness and more than a century of heritage. 

He said the partnership with Tamimi Markets would enable consumers across Saudi Arabia to enjoy authentic premium Ceylon Tea.

Director and Chief Executive Officer Almas Marikkar outlined the company’s diverse product portfolio and its commitment to corporate social responsibility through the welfare and development of estate communities. Marketing Manager for the Middle East and Asia Anne Ranasinghe presented the brand’s history and heritage during the event.

Representatives of Tamimi Markets, including Regional Senior Manager Ayham Nasser, Business Development Director Bruce Bostwick, and Category Manager Husnee Thasim, reaffirmed the retailer’s commitment to offering customers high-quality international brands.

The event was also attended by Sri Lanka’s First Secretary (Commerce) in Riyadh Tashma Vithanawasam, Assistant Manager – Product Innovation and Infusions at Bogawantalawa Tea Ceylon Kabeer Tharick, and Tamimi Markets Area Managers Riyad Salamih and Yassir Ghalib.