Dilhan C. Fernando, CEO, Dilmah, tells us about their artisan range of tea.
“What we are trying to do at Gulfhost is explain to people that tea is something that is uniquely relevant in the 21st century. We want to emphasise on the nature and artisanal manufacture of our product but also bring it forward with modern culinary techniques and different sensory presentations in order to re-imagine tea for the 21st century,” he said.
We are at GulfHost because this is where the industry meets. It is a great location, very central for anyone in the Europe, the Middle East, and Asia, so our global debut for afternoon tea started here. The market in the region particularly is very complex and sophisticated but a great thing you have here is a wonderful and vibrant environment in hospitality. Everything from the modern business context, to the contemporary casual concepts coming through and as such, everything that is happening in the world, you see in a relatively short space over here in Dubai.
“People are testing their concepts here and it is east to refine in this market because of the global audience. We have been working a lot on our infusions that are making a debut here, which are natural wellness using superfoods like moringa, cinnamon, turmeric and so on in a form where it is pure artisanal. We have also presented our Elixir of Ceylon, which is a convenient format for hospitality because everyone is having a problem with getting enough staff so this product is convenient and easy to use without a lot of training.
