Sri Lanka’s No. 1 branded tea company, Watawala Tea Ceylon Ltd (WTCL) – a subsidiary of the diversified conglomerate Sunshine Holdings PLC – recently commenced the donation of Ceylon tea for the consumption of individuals and staff placed in Quarantine Centres located around the country, which have been set up to flatten the curve and speed up Sri Lanka’s recovery from COVID-19.
The company’s contribution, which comprised of Zesta tea bags and Watawala Haritha tea bags, to be distributed among quarantine centers was handed over to Major K.G.L.R.N. Karunathilaka and Brigadier T.H. Draheem recently at the Sri Lanka Army Supply Depot in Kelaniya by Watawala Tea Ceylon Limited General Manager – Marketing Farman Nizar. WTCL’s latest initiative is a concerted attempt to support both the members of public and the hard-working staff stationed at these centres, as they fight to curb the spread of this pandemic.
The purpose of providing tea bags was to enable the inmates of the centres as well as medical staff to make their own cups of tea when they require. This will complement the tea that is provided by the centres. Ceylon Tea is a beloved beverage all Sri Lankans who are deeply attached to and place great value upon and consume several times a day to quench both thirst and fatigue. Every Sri Lankan looks to a cup of tea for comfort, in both good and ill health and hot or cold weather. As a beverage famously known to be the most consumed in the world after water, Camellia Sinensis (tea) leaves are proven to be rich in immunity-boosting antioxidants and minerals.
“As the market leader in Branded tea in Sri Lanka, we are deeply committed to extending our fullest support to the nation during this difficult period in time. We trust that our pledge of tea, which is often synonymous with comfort and health among our people, will provide a much-needed source of happiness, hydration and relief as they adjust to life within the confines of these centres.,” Watawala Tea Ceylon Limited Chief Executive Officer Surith Perera stated.
Several studies have demonstrated the potential benefits of tea in controlling influenza and common cold generally caused by influenza viral infections and other respiratory diseases. Black tea is rich in Theaflavins that are formed during the enzymatic oxidation process in the manufacture of black tea. In addition to Theaflavin, other chemicals available in tea also have shown antiviral activity. Tea has been well established as a wellness drink that helps improve the immune system.
The initiative by Watawala Tea Ceylon to provide more cups of tea to the inmates of the quarantine centres will help the inmates to fight COVID -19 by acting as a potential immune booster to fight against the virus when confronted. The company remains deeply committed to helping its customers and the broader community deal with the unprecedented medical and economic crisis caused by COVID-19.