Look closely at some Ceylon tea packs and you'll see a lion emblem. It is the Lion logo, the Sri Lanka Tea Board's emblem for pure Ceylon tea.

This article draws on Wikipedia's articles on Ceylon tea and tea production in Sri Lanka, and the Tea Board's history timeline.

In this article
  1. What is the Lion logo?
  2. The four criteria
  3. Geographical Indication
  4. Ceylon tea in the world market
At a glance
  • Owner: the Sri Lanka Tea Board
  • Trademarked globally: 1999
  • Registered in: 98 countries (as of 2016)
  • Requires: 100% Ceylon tea, packed in Sri Lanka
  • GI certification: 2011

What is the Lion logo?

According to Wikipedia, the Sri Lanka Tea Board is the legal proprietor of the Lion logo of Ceylon tea, which is used on tea packs to label the authenticity of the tea. It has been registered as a trademark in many countries — 98 as of 2016. The Tea Board's timeline records that it globally trademarked the Lion logo in 1999 as an emblem of 100% pure Ceylon tea.

The four criteria

For the Lion logo to appear on a tea pack, Wikipedia lists four criteria:

  1. It can only be used on consumer packs of Ceylon tea.
  2. The packs must contain 100 percent pure Ceylon tea.
  3. The packing must be done only in Sri Lanka.
  4. Brands using the logo must meet the quality standards set by the Sri Lanka Tea Board.
What it doesn't meanBecause the logo requires packing in Sri Lanka, a pure Ceylon tea packed elsewhere will not carry it. The absence of a Lion logo doesn't necessarily mean a tea isn't from Sri Lanka — check the label for origin information.

Geographical Indication

The Tea Board's timeline also notes that in 2011 it obtained Geographical Indication (GI) certification for Ceylon Tea, so that only tea produced in certified regions of the island and meeting quality norms could be marketed as "Ceylon Tea" — a step against counterfeiting.

Ceylon tea in the world market

Wikipedia's Ceylon tea article notes that in 2019 Sri Lanka was the fourth-largest tea producer and third-largest tea exporter in the world, and describes Ceylon tea as a pillar of Sri Lankan culture, heritage and identity.

100% Ceylon tea, packed in Sri Lanka, meeting Tea Board standards — that's what the lion stands for.

Sources & further reading

  1. Wikipedia: Ceylon tea
  2. Wikipedia: Tea production in Sri Lanka
  3. Sri Lanka Tea Board: Story of Ceylon Tea
Tea Online Editorial TeamFacts in this article are drawn from the sources listed above, such as the Sri Lanka Tea Board, Wikipedia and government health agencies. Featured product links on this site go to Yarra Valley Impex, an Australian retailer of Ceylon tea and spices. These are commercial links. This article is general information and not a substitute for professional medical advice.