Wewelkandura Announces Direct-Trade Partnership with German Specialty Importer

A New Chapter in Direct Trade

Wewelkandura Tea Estate is pleased to announce a long-term direct-trade partnership with Teekontor GmbH, a Hamburg-based specialty tea importer with distribution across Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. The three-year supply agreement, effective January 2025, covers our premium whole-leaf grades — Orange Pekoe and Flowery Orange Pekoe — totalling approximately 40,000 kg annually.

Why Direct Trade Matters

Traditional auction-based sales, while providing liquidity, compress margins across the supply chain and disconnect producers from end consumers. Direct trade inverts this model: price is agreed upfront based on transparent production costs plus a fair margin, enabling the estate to plan long-term investments in quality and sustainability.

Under this agreement, Wewelkandura receives a price 23% above the 2024 Colombo auction average for equivalent grades, with annual escalation linked to the Sri Lanka Consumer Price Index.

Teekontor's Commitment

"We look for estates that can tell a complete story — impeccable quality, certified sustainability, and genuine traceability," said Managing Director Klaus Bremer. "Wewelkandura checks every box. Our customers will be able to trace their tea to a specific garden block, harvest month, and processing batch."

Traceability Technology

To support Teekontor's traceability requirements, Wewelkandura will implement a QR-code batch tracking system in Q1 2025. Each pack will carry a code linking to production data including plucking date, withering duration, oxidation time, grade, and sustainability audit status.

Looking Further

This partnership is the first of several direct-trade agreements we are pursuing. Enquiries from qualified importers in other markets are welcome at trade@wewelkandura.com.