Overview of Forest Hill

Forest Hill Tea Company, led by Buddhika Dissanayake, is a pioneer in producing wild, artisanal teas at Warnagala at the foot of Adam’s Peak in Sri Lanka’s Sabaragamuwa Province.

The company focuses on small-batch, handmade teas, including the unique "Ceylon Wild" tea, grown in the forests surrounding the area. These teas are sourced from trees that grow naturally in the wild, providing distinct flavors and exceptional quality.

Forest Hill is committed to forest-friendly practices, environmental sustainability, and community empowerment. By prioritising sustainable farming methods and offering fair wages to local farmers, Forest Hill is fostering a model that can serve as an example for other smallholders in Sri Lanka’s tea industry.

Forest Hill is a member of CATA - the Ceylon Artisanal Tea Association.

Sustainability At Forest Hill

Forest Hill follows the book on sustainable practices and environmental stewardship. Organic, forest-friendly methods of tea production are followed at the estate with a view to protecting the local ecosystem while maintaining high-quality tea production.

It has made sure its practices are contributing positively to the surroundings through reforestation and promotion of biodiversity. The Forest Hill Tea Company also ensures that local women receive training and fair remuneration for their work. It is an essential element of the business in terms of ensuring success for the company while achieving sustainability within the community.

Tea Production at Forest Hill

Forest Hill is well known for producing high-quality, wild, handmade teas that are really representative of their natural environment. The estate's Ceylon Wild tea, which is sourced from tea trees growing as high as 40 feet up in the forest, is a key product. These trees, abandoned for over a century, now grow in a biodiverse habitat that enhances the flavour of the tea.

What makes Forest Hill artisanal is the way leaves are hand-picked, processed in small batches with care, and each having a unique flavour profile. It gives them a premium tea product, truly one of a kind.

Forest Hill's Impact

The approach taken by Forest Hill has positive impacts on the general community and the environment. The decent wages, especially for the women in the community through skill development, uplift the family and improve the living standard of the local workers. Their methods of farming do not degrade the environment but ensure protection of forests and restoring of natural ecosystems.

The success of Forest Hill testifies to how sustainable, community-focused businesses can be commercially viable and, at the same time, contribute positively to the wider Ceylon tea industry.

Forest Hill's Future & Where We Come In

Forest Hill strives to increase its reach in the specialty tea market across the globe. The company intends to increase its production of high-value, handmade teas while encouraging sustainability throughout Sri Lanka's tea industry. They aspire to train many tea co-operatives and small farmers in the production of high-quality artisanal teas for a more sustainable tea market.

In investing in Cha Dodo, the customers are actually investing in the teas from Forest Hill, empowering the local farmers and helping the estate continue its success with exceptional, rare teas.

Buy Forest Hill's Tea