Because of Them, My Life Knows Love
By Mamie Adkins
From the Quiet Voices Within: The Echoes of Their Strength
Part 3 of 3
The Heart of a Cup – From the Soil to the Soul of the Dilmahs
Thank you for joining me on this journey through the heart and soul of Dilmah Tea.
Mamie Adkins is the voice behind Mamie Books. After decades of writing for others, she now shares stories that inspire, heal and uplift. Her journey with Dilmah Tea is personal — one of comfort, reflection and gratitude.
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With Profound Gratitude to the Entire Dilmah Team
Thank you for your generosity, your integrity, and the way you live your values in every leaf and every word.
Your quiet encouragement gave me the courage to write this story — from a place of loss, resilience and healing.
I am not just a customer; I am someone whose life was touched, uplifted, and inspired by your legacy. This final chapter is a tribute to what tea can become when love is poured into every step of the journey.
For Merrill J. Fernando, giving back wasn’t an afterthought but a lifelong promise. His impact, from conservation education, stretched far beyond tea. But his influence didn’t stop at the plantations. He saw something more significant — an opportunity to share Sri Lanka’s beauty with the world through tea and breathtaking experiences. He believed that tea was not just to be tasted, but to be felt — a bridge between people, cultures and nature.
<Image: Craighead Estate in the hills of Kandy District.>
Every cup offered the world a glimpse of Sri Lanka’s soul, poured with intention and love.
Merrill J. Fernando’s legacy extended beyond the tea fields. His passion for sharing the beauty of Sri Lanka inspired ventures that celebrated the land, its people and its traditions — each one guided by the same values of authenticity, kindness, and excellence that defined his work in tea.
Finding Comfort in a Cup of Tea
Tea is more than just a beverage — it is an experience, a moment of reflection, and, for many, a source of comfort during life’s challenges.
A little over 18 months ago, I underwent open-heart surgery — bypass and aortic valve replacement. The recovery process was long, and for whatever reason, sleep became elusive. No matter how exhausted I was, I couldn’t rest. I struggled with only four to six hours of restless sleep each night, and with each passing day, I felt more drained, more disconnected, and more discouraged. Yet, the surgery improved my life, leaving me with a second chance on life.
<Image: Somerset’s quiet start.>
Then, I turned back to Dilmah.
Something about the warmth of the cup in my hands, the soothing aroma, and the rich, full-bodied taste celebrating each victory grounded me in the present. I found myself relaxing more deeply, sleeping better, and embracing the small joys in life again.
Slowly, I found myself looking forward to the morning again. I found joy in the warmth of a carefully brewed cup, the aroma of fresh Ceylon leaves, and the feeling of being present at that moment.
Some might say: All of this… from tea?
Yes. Tea is not just a drink — it’s an experience.
Tea is not just about flavour — but ritual, tradition, and connection to something greater. Dilmah’s dedication to purity and quality made me appreciate those moments even more.
But I did not take that journey alone.
One of the greatest joys of this ritual was sharing it with Doug, my husband and best friend of 37 years. Whether it was early mornings on our balcony overlooking the sea or quiet evenings reflecting on life’s challenges, tea became part of our connection. It wasn’t just a beverage but a shared experience, a moment of peace amidst life’s chaos.
Side by side, steeped in quiet companionship —
Tea became more than warmth. It became healing.
Doug has been the foundation of my world, standing beside me through every challenge, every loss, and every victory. His quiet strength, unwavering support, and love have given me the courage to keep going— even in the darkest moments. Together, we have faced grief, hardships, and the uncertainty of life — and together, we have found solace in simple moments, in shared cups of tea, and in knowing that love and resilience can carry us through anything.
In those quiet moments, with Doug by my side and a cup of Dilmah Tea in hand, I found something I thought I had lost — hope.
A bloom and a brew — delicately steeped.
As I sipped my cup of Dilmah, I found comfort and a renewed sense of well-being. But what if there was more to this ritual than just relaxation? What if tea held the key to better health, longevity, and even protection against disease?
The Health Benefits of Tea
Beyond its emotional and cultural significance, tea has profound health benefits. According to scientific research and Dilmah’s insights, here are a few remarkable ways tea contributes to wellness:
☕ Boosts Exercise Endurance: Catechins (antioxidants) in green tea extract increase the body’s ability to burn fat as fuel, improving muscle endurance.
<Image: Dimbula Estate — sunlit rows and quiet strength nestled in Sri Lanka’s tea country.>
🍃 Hydrates the Body Naturally: With less than half the caffeine of coffee, tea provides gentle energy while keeping the body adequately hydrated.
🌿 Might Help Protect Against Cancer: The antioxidants in tea may help protect against various cancers, including breast, colon, skin, liver, and ovarian cancer.
🩺 Supports a Healthy Metabolism: Studies show that regular tea drinkers have a lower risk of metabolic syndrome, which can reduce the likelihood of diabetes, artery disease, and stroke.
🛡️ Aids in Radiation Recovery: Research suggests that tea can help protect against cellular damage from radiation and assist the skin in recovering post-exposure.
For more in-depth health benefits, visit Dilmah’s website
A Journey to the Heart of Tea
But Dilmah is more than just tea. It’s about people, tradition and a commitment to excellence.
When you visit their website, you’ll discover:
✨They grow and produce their tea with real stories behind every cup.
✨ How their plantations sustain thousands of hardworking individuals.
✨ Why their commitment to ethical business and environmental responsibility makes them different.
If you’re like me, you might even find yourself experimenting — not just with various flavour teas, but with infusing Ceylon Cinnamon into your drinks and foods for an entirely new level of flavour. Recently I made cornbread and added honey and this spectacular cinnamon. It was fantastic! You owe it to yourself to try this fresh cinnamon. You will never want to buy it off a shelf again!
For those who appreciate quality, tradition, and a truly exceptional cup of tea, there is no better journey than this one.
<Image: Ceylon Cinnamon and tea — a fragrant tradition.>
Every tea leaf tells a story — not just of flavour but of the people, the land, and the purpose behind it. But tea is more than just a drink or an industry. For Merrill J. Fernando, it was a mission. And his business wasn’t just about profit — it was about making the world better.
A Business with a Purpose
For Merrill J. Fernando, success was never just about building a brand — it was about creating a force for good. From the beginning, he believed that business should be a matter of human service, and he never allowed any other actions to represent him. His two sons have honourably continued building his business in the same fashion.
✔The MJF Charitable Foundation — A significant portion of Dilmah’s profits directly support the community. The foundation has transformed education, healthcare and social welfare programmes, benefiting thousands of Sri Lankans.
✔ Dilmah Conservation — Fernando’s commitment to environmental sustainability led to reforestation efforts, biodiversity preservation and regenerative agriculture programmes.
✔ Empowering Tea Workers — Unlike multinational corporations that exploit tea labourers, Dilmah ensures fair wages, education opportunities, and housing for tea plantation workers.
For Fernando, integrity in business wasn’t just a slogan — it was his life’s mission.
The Legacy of Ceylon Tea: A Journey Through Time
Before Dilmah became a household name, Merrill J. Fernando dreamed of revolutionising the tea industry, and Sri Lanka’s love affair with tea began with a single plantation.
It was 1867, and a Scotsman named James Taylor stood amidst the rolling green hills of Loolecondera Estate, carefully tending to 19 acres of tea plants. He didn’t know it then, but he was planting the first seeds of an industry that would one day define a nation.
At that time, Sri Lanka was a land of coffee. But when a devastating fungal disease swept through the plantations, wiping out the once-thriving coffee trade, tea became the island’s saving grace. Taylor’s experiment flourished, and soon, tea fields stretched as far as the eye could see, carpeting the island’s misty mountains in emerald green. By the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Ceylon tea had captured the world’s attention. Its rich aroma, bold flavour, and unparalleled quality made it the gold standard of tea, sought after in markets from London to Moscow.
Even today, tradition lives in the simplest of tools — like the slender bamboo stick, passed into the hands of each tea plucker to honour quality over speed…
To preserve the quality of every harvest, workers carry bamboo sticks to
guide the perfect length of each plucked tea shoot —
a quiet testament to the precision and respect behind every leaf.
But Ceylon tea was more than just an export — it was a way of life. For the thousands of men and women who plucked the two leaves and a bud each morning, tea was their livelihood, their heritage, and their pride. Generations of families built their lives around these tea fields, passing down the artistry of tea-making like a treasured heirloom.
And then came Merrill J. Fernando.
He saw the beauty of Ceylon tea and the need to protect its authenticity, preserve the legacy that began in those hills more than a century ago, and honour the hands that had plucked, nurtured, and perfected it.
That’s why Dilmah is more than just tea — it’s a promise. A promise to uphold the integrity of pure, unblended Ceylon tea. A promise to keep Sri Lanka’s tea heritage alive. A promise to give back to the very people who made it all possible.
So today, when you sip a cup of Dilmah tea, you’re not just drinking tea — you’re experiencing a story. It is a story of resilience, passion and generations of hardworking people who transformed adversity into a legacy that continues producing some of the world’s finest teas.
And that is the legacy of Ceylon tea.
A great cup of tea is more than just flavour — it’s an experience, a moment of reflection, and a celebration of tradition. Whether you are new to Dilmah or have enjoyed it for years, I invite you to take a sip, close your eyes, and truly taste the difference. Let’s raise our cups to legacy, passion, and the power of a simple leaf to change lives.
Where the leaves begin their journey — from the hills of Ceylon to the heart in every cup.
Invitation to Experience the Best at Dilmah
Dilmah is more than just a tea brand — it’s a commitment to quality, sustainability, and social good.
Though Merrill J. Fernando is no longer with us, his legacy is woven into every leaf, every brew, and every act of kindness inspired by his philosophy. But Dilmah isn’t just about the past — it’s about the future. And you are invited to be a part of that future, one cup at a time.
Founder Merrill J. Fernando leaves us with a final invitation:
Please join us in celebrating tea, nature’s gift of goodness, and appreciating the special pleasure of a cup of fine tea. Do try it!
Whether you’ve been a lifelong tea lover or are just beginning your journey, you owe it to yourself to experience the depth, richness, and passion behind every Dilmah tea.
Sip, savour or become part of a generation-long cherished tradition.
Outstanding Customer Service
Dilmah also has outstanding customer service. Merrill J. Fernando believed in rewarding hard work and in human relations, history, and kindness to all that was part of his life… whether business, family, friends, or neighbours. He would also expect that from his customer service department. We were raised to reward kindness, and it warmed my heart to know this remarkable man valued that in life.
Over the last five years, I have purchased Dilmah tea from Sri Lanka. Every order, every shipment, and every contact has been exceptional. Just as the teas and the man himself, that kindness is in every transaction, without question. We would all do well to take away this crucial lesson from a man who gave us perfect and exceptional teas, but also his spirit and gift of love and kindness to everyone his path crossed. I, for one, am richer for having known him through his legacy.
For Merrill J. Fernando, integrity in business wasn’t just a slogan — it was his life’s mission.
Rest in peace knowing you gave the world a better place to be. Me, included! Mamie
A true legacy is not measured in profits but in the lives it transforms. And for Merrill J. Fernando, his most outstanding achievement was not just crafting the world’s finest tea but leaving behind a mission — one that will outlive even the most fragrant of brews.
Sri Lanka’s tea industry has seen empires rise and fall, but one name stands apart for its quality and heart. Merrill J. Fernando didn’t just preserve tradition; he revolutionised it, leaving behind a legacy that will outlive us all. And now, as we reflect on his life, we see the impact of a single dream that grew into something extraordinary.
Tribute to Merrill J. Fernando: The Heart Behind Dilmah Tea
Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered.
— Proverbs 11:25
— Dedicated with love to Merrill J. Fernando
In the lush landscapes of Sri Lanka, where tea plantations stretch across rolling hills, one man’s vision transformed an industry and touched countless lives.
Merrill J. Fernando, born in 1930 in the village of Pallassena near Negombo, embarked on a journey that would redefine the world of tea.
From humble beginnings, Fernando’s passion for tea blossomed early. In 1950, he was among the first Sri Lankans selected for training in tea tasting — a domain previously dominated by the British. This opportunity ignited a fervour that would lead him to challenge the status quo of the global tea trade.
Observing that Ceylon tea was often blended and branded overseas, diminishing its purity and value, Fernando envisioned a brand that celebrated single-origin Ceylon tea. This dream materialised in 1985 with the launch of Dilmah, named after his sons Dilhan and Malik. Dilmah introduced the world to unblended, garden-fresh Ceylon tea, emphasising authenticity and quality.
Yet Fernando’s greatest motivation was his unwavering Catholic faith, which shaped his commitment to kindness, fairness, and service to others. His belief that business should be a matter of human service was not just a philosophy, but a spiritual calling, guiding him to uplift his workers, protect the land, and give back to his country. His religious devotion profoundly shaped his compassion, humility, and integrity, affecting all aspects of his life, from business to philanthropic efforts.
<Image: MJF – A quiet moment at Somerset>
Beyond his entrepreneurial spirit, Fernando was deeply committed to social justice and environmental conservation. In 2003, he established the Merrill J. Fernando Charitable Foundation, dedicating a portion of Dilmah’s profits to support underprivileged communities, education and healthcare initiatives. His efforts ensured that Dilmah’s success directly benefited the people and land of Sri Lanka.
Fernando’s contributions earned him numerous accolades, including the Oslo Business for Peace Award in 2015 and the title of “Deshamanya,” one of Sri Lanka’s highest national honours in 2019. Yet, those who knew him often remarked that his most outstanding achievement was the genuine care and kindness he extended to others — a testament to his belief that business serves a greater human purpose. Merrill J. Fernando passed away in July 2023, at the respectful age of 93, leaving behind a legacy that transcends tea. His life’s work stands as a testament to integrity, passion, and the profound impact one individual can have on an industry and a nation. As we sip our cups of Dilmah tea, we are reminded of his journey and the enduring warmth he infused into every brew.
A Legacy in Motion — Holyrood Estate
Among the many estates that form the heart of Dilmah’s operations, Holyrood stands apart — not just in size, but in soul. Spanning over 330 hectares at an elevation of 1,341 metres, this vast tea garden in Talawakelle-Nanu Oya yields more than 1,500 kilograms of premium tea per hectare annually. Its factory, built in 1922, is one of only two in the nation awarded HACCP certification for excellence. Yet even with its world-class production, Holyrood reflects the essence of Dilmah: a company that combines global success with deeply rooted compassion.
It’s not just tea that grows here — it’s dignity, opportunity, and legacy.
With Gratitude, From Mamie at Mamie Books ✨
Every word of this blog I have written is from my heart — a place of deep appreciation, reflection and personal connection. The journey of Dilmah Tea, much like my own, is one of resilience, purpose and unwavering passion. Every cup of tea reminds us of heritage, tradition, and the power of a single vision to change the world.
At Mamie Books, I strive to honour stories that inspire, empower and uplift. Whether through writing, sharing experiences, or guiding others on their creative journeys, my goal is always the same — to give back, support and make a difference.
Thank you, Dilmah Tea, for your unwavering commitment to quality and kindness. Thank you to my readers for sharing this journey with me. Above all, thank you, Merrill J. Fernando, for the legacy of love and purpose you have left behind.
May every sip you take carry not just flavour, but the legacy of hearts that made it possible.
With warmest regards,
R. Mamie and Douglas Adkins
Mamie Books Company
www.MamieBooks.com
