Anselm Perera

At a young age of eighteen Anselm Perera began his career with the tea industry initially as a Tea taster for Brooke Bond. He moved on to being the Tea Director at Shaw Wallace and Hedges after a period of ten years at Brooke Bond, where he gained insight and experience in the field. Deciding to venture out on his own, adopting the mirror image of his name, Anselm, he founded ‘Mlesna’ Tea Company in 1983.. His initial blend, Rich Brew, foreshadowed his significant contributions to the world of tea.He introduced the concept of value addition through novel concepts including specialty tea gift shops, to Sri Lanka. Mlesna has a product range catering to all tastes, ages, and nationalities, be it tea bags or loose leaf, black teas, green teas or special teas, attractive and colourful gift packs with a product list exceeding 3500 items to suit the mood and taste of every individual while remaining true to its promise “Naturally the Best.” For over three decades, Anselm Perera’s iconic giftware and high-quality tea have symbolized class and sophistication, successfully standing out amid numerous competitors. His wealth of knowledge and experience through fifty five years in the tea industry reinforces his concern for the future of the industry and to safeguard this national trade for generations to come. He recognized as one of the pioneers of the Ceylon Tea industry and is the incumbent Chairman of the Colombo Tea Traders Association.