As transparency becomes a defining requirement among European buyers, Mabroc Teas (Pvt) Ltd – a member of the Hayleys Group and one of Sri Lanka’s leading tea exporters – has launched TeaTrace, a data-driven traceability platform designed to meet evolving global standards in ethical and sustainable sourcing.

Developed in collaboration with ITechro, the platform ensures buyers and consumers gain end-to-end visibility from tea estate to retail shelf, embedding sustainability directly into the product and transforming it into a competitive advantage.

Sri Lanka’s tea industry has long relied on heritage: century-old estates, climate and a legacy of quality. In Europe, however, reputation alone no longer secures premium pricing or shelf space. Buyers, regulators, and investors now demand evidence of ethical labour practices, environmental stewardship and supply-chain transparency that can be independently verified, making traceability a critical requirement for market access.

“Wellness-driven markets want proof that the product stands for something,” says Rajeev Samarasinghe, Managing Director of Mabroc Teas (Pvt) Ltd. “Digital traceability is moving quickly from a value-add to an expectation. Sri Lankan exporters must demonstrate real, verifiable sustainability to remain competitive in high-value markets.”

The initiative is aligned with two of the Hayleys Group’s digital transformation priorities – ‘enhancing customer experience and driving sustainability across the value chain.

Unlike traditional marketing propositions, TeaTrace prioritises verifiable, technical information, addressing the demands of European procurement teams navigating ESG reporting, deforestation risks and ethical sourcing compliance. Each retail pack carries a QR code linking consumers, buyers and auditors to batch-specific information: estate profiles, production dates, processing steps and relevant certifications.

TeaTrace also includes relevant quality, food safety, and sustainability certifications, offering buyers and consumers assurance that responsible practices are embedded directly at source. Additional ingredients, such as herbs or flavourings, are accompanied by relevant country-of-origin details, ensuring full visibility across the supply chain.

Tea drinkers can scan the QR code to explore the exact batch they are holding, trace its journey from the tea garden to the cup, including harvesting, manufacturing, blending and packing stages, and gain insight into the sustainable practices and values at the source.

By digitising origin and production data at the product level, Mabroc provides retailers and distributors with auditable information, reducing reliance on supplier assurances while supporting compliance and ESG reporting obligations.

TeaTrace was officially launched at the Anuga Food Exhibition 2025 in Germany – a leading platform for sustainability-driven innovation in global retail. Building on this foundation, Mabroc plans to extend TeaTrace to other markets, reinforcing a long-term commitment to digital traceability, ESG integration, and consumer trust across international markets.

By integrating traceability and ESG into its operations, Mabroc aims not only to meet global compliance standards but also to redefine Sri Lankan tea’s place in high-value, wellness-driven and ethics-conscious markets worldwide.