Ceylon Tea Showcased at Brussels Festival Through Regional Tastings

Sri Lanka presented regional Ceylon teas at the Brussels Tea Festival on 27 September, with tastings and demonstrations supported by its embassy in Belgium and the Sri Lanka Tea Board.

The embassy reports participating for a second consecutive year in the one-day festival at Flagey, Place Sainte-Croix, in central Brussels. Organisers’ attendance, as reported by the embassy, exceeded 700 tea enthusiasts, media representatives and industry professionals from Europe.

A dedicated presentation introduced seven regional black teas, explaining how different growing areas contribute to differences in flavour and character.

Stijn Van Schoonlandt, owner of Kruze Tea Belgium, led the presentation and tasting session. The embassy identifies him as a certified tea master, a European Specialty Tea Association board member and the International Tea Masters Association’s regional director for Europe.

Black teas from high, medium and low-grown regions were brewed during an interactive session. Participants were invited to compare their flavour profiles and characteristics.

Sri Lanka’s ambassador to Belgium, Chandana Weerasena, and the embassy’s minister for commercial affairs, Thavishya Mullegamgoda, attended the presentation.

The programme included a question-and-answer session covering tea culture, production, sustainable practices and opportunities to visit tea-growing regions and tea trails in Sri Lanka.

Participating brands and estates included Basilur, Dilmah, Empire Teas, Bogawanthalawa Ceylon Tea, Amba Estate, Kaley Tea Estate, Rosyth Artisan Teas and Glen Nevis Plantation, according to the embassy.

Promotional banners and market brochures accompanied the teas on display. The embassy reports that visitors also asked about connecting with suppliers and arranging estate and factory visits.

Sri Lanka’s participation combined product promotion with information about the country’s tea-growing regions and tourism experiences. The programme brought suppliers into contact with European tea enthusiasts and industry participants, while presenting the regional differences within Ceylon tea through demonstrations rather than a single representative blend.