Our History

Disposal of ACS&T

Kakuzi awarded global certification for sustainable water resources management

Duncan Brothers Received “Green Factory Award, 2020”.

Avocado planting started at Eastern Produce Tanzania.

Avocados from Lokitela exported for the first time.

Camellia acquires 100% shareholding in Bardsley England.

Camellia divests of US Operation.

Disposal of Horizon Farms.

Eastern Produce South Africa acquires Beja farm.

Goodricke Group acquires two tea gardens in Assam, Bargang and Harchurrah.

Kakuzi commences blueberry trials at their estates outside Nairobi.

AJT acquires Black Gold Oil Tools Ltd.

Eastern Produce Kenya commences trials of avocado production at Kitale in Kenya.

Camellia acquires majority shareholding in Jing.

Duncan Brothers receives Rainforest Alliance Certification.

Margaret's Deck, Darjeeling is opened as the flagship tea lounge to Goodricke's Teapot chain.

Kakuzi commissions a new macadamia cracking plant.

The solar project at the Kepchomo factory in Kenya was switched on.

Solar water heating unit installed at Aibheel, West Bengal

Rainforest Alliance Certification was achieved on all Assam and Darjeeling estates

Kakuzi wins CSR awards for their Kitchen gardens & use of Sustainable Water.

Amfin receives a number of accreditations which allows it to expand the business and services offered.

Major facilities upgrade is now completed at the AJT Altens site.

ACS&T becomes one of the first temperature-controlled logistics providers to achieve British Retail Consortium certification across all of its operating sites – a testament to its commitment to quality of service, hygiene and product safety.

Duncan Lawrie purchases The Hill Martin Group allowing expansion of services.

Lawrie Group Plc and Linton Park Plc, become wholly owned subsidiaries of Camellia Plc.

Camellia acquire EPSA.

Eastern Produce Malawi commission a new macadamia cracking plant.

Camellia’s subsidiary Eastern Produce Cape purchased Slangrivier Farm in Wellington, South Africa.

Camellia takes 100% ownership of Associated Cold Stores & Logistics.

Eastern Produce (Holdings) Ltd changes its name to Linton Park Plc.

Horizon Farms in the USA was purchased.

WDG and Camellia’s other associated tea interests in India and Bangladesh are merged under the banner of Lawrie Group Plc.

Maruque Farm, Sao Paulo, Brazil purchased.

WDG acquires a minority interest in Eastern Produce (Holdings) Ltd.

Duncan Lawrie Private Bank open.

Alex Lawrie & Co. Ltd merges with WDG and the Alex Lawrie company name disappears. Alex Lawrie Factors continues.

Camellia Investments establishes significant stakes in various tea plantation and managing companies, including Alex Lawrie & Co. Ltd and WDG.

Sephinjuri Bheel tea estate is sold and the company changes name to Camellia Investments Ltd.

Alex Lawrie Factors is set up as a joint venture between Gordon Fox and Alex Lawrie & Co. Ltd.

Estates in Malawi and Kenya are purchased.

Walter Duncan & Co. merges with C.A. Goodricke to form Walker Duncan & Goodricke Ltd (WDG).

The Sephinjuri Bheel Tea Company Ltd is incorporated to own a single tea estate of the same name.

Alex Lawrie & Co. an agency with interests in tea, is formed in London by Alex Lawrie and Edward Wahab.

Duncan Brothers & Co. is set up in Calcutta & Walter Duncan & Co. is set up in Glasgow by Walter Duncan and his brother William.

Balmer Lawrie is established in Calcutta by Stephen Balmer and Alex Lawrie, a Managing Agency which played a dynamic role in the development of tea.

The Ceylon Tea Company is formed later to become Eastern Produce (Holdings) Ltd.

Walter Duncan arrives in Calcutta and sets up a business in partnership with Playfair of Glasgow.