Akbar Tea
Lacks transparency. Publishes some details, but doesn't show its workers are paid and treated fairly.
Last researched 3 November 2026 · 8 sources
Ceylon tea brand of Akbar Brothers, a family-owned Colombo exporter.
Akbar Tea publishes no certification, independent audit or supplier list.
Also worth knowing
Workers in Sri Lanka are very unlikely to earn a living wage.
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Why it's graded Lacks transparency
- Not met: Meets 1 of 5 Good requirements.
- Holds the grade back: It has 2 red flags: no evidence of a living wage and a hidden supply chain. Two or more red flags means a poor grade.
- It isn't Harm on record, because there's no serious confirmed problem on its record.
- Lacks transparency is still a poor grade: in supply chains like this, workers who can't be seen to be treated fairly are usually underpaid or unprotected.
Good requirements 1 of 5
- Not met: Pays a living wage, or holds a strong fair-pay certificationLiving wage: no evidence
- Not met: Respects worker rightsJudged on where its tea is grown: worker rights are poorly protected in Sri Lanka.
- Not met: Supply chain independently audited or certified, or at least 80% made in countries with strong labour standards
- Met: No child or forced labour findings or links
- Not met: Names the factories or farms that make its products, or is fully certified by a scheme that holds and audits that list
Red flags 2
- Red flag: No evidence it pays a living wage
- Red flag: Hidden supply chain: no certification, independent audits or supplier list
Stars it would earn as Good
None yet. Stars only show on Good companies. About stars
Estimates for its products
Our rules applied to one kind of product at a time, using Akbar Tea's evidence and, where it has product lines, that line's countries. They're estimates: we don't know which factory made any single item.
- A product carrying the Fairtrade mark: Good
Holding one? Scan its barcode for an estimate that uses its care label or ingredients.
Where its tea is grown
Akbar Tea says which countries its tea comes from, but doesn't name the farms or co-operatives.
| Country | Worker rights | Legal minimum wage | Forced labour risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sri Lanka | Systematic violations | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
Evidence
What we found
- Risk across the industry, not a finding about this company: tea estate wages in Assam, Sri Lanka and Kenya are among the lowest of any export crop, often paid partly in kind (housing, rations). Source
Research notes Akbar sells 100% Ceylon tea from Sri Lankan estates and blends and packs it in its own factory near Colombo, but names no estates or suppliers. It says it holds Fairtrade and Rainforest Alliance certifications and aims for fair pay for plantation workers, but does not show which products are certified or publish any supplier list, audit results or wage data. No modern slavery statement was found. Sri Lankan tea estates have well-documented problems with low wages and poor housing for plantation workers.
What independent sources say
| Source | Result | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Fairtrade (incl. FLOCERT and Fairtrade ANZ) | Unclear | Akbar says it holds Fairtrade and Rainforest Alliance certification but does not show which products carry the marks; its export profile lists only quality certifications. View |
| Business & Human Rights Resource Centre | Not listed | No BHRRC reports or company responses involving Akbar Brothers were found. View |
| Australian Modern Slavery Register | Not covered | Akbar Brothers is a Sri Lankan company without an Australian entity required to report. View |
Sources and actions
Sources 8
Show all 8 sources
- EDB Sri Lanka: Akbar Brothers (Pvt) Ltd profile · search the archive · Exporter profile lists ISO 9001 and HACCP only; no social certification listed.
- Amazon Australia: Akbar Peach Passion Fruit Punch Ceylon Tea 20T · search the archive · Akbar tea sold online to Australian shoppers.
- GS International Groceries: Akbar Gold Pure Ceylon Leaf Tea · search the archive · Queensland grocer lists Akbar tea, packed in Sri Lanka (listing out of stock).
- Daily FT: Akbar Brothers marks 20 years as Sri Lanka's largest tea exporter · search the archive · Largest Sri Lankan tea exporter for 20 years; 2013 shipments over 50 million kg; own packaging facility
- Wikipedia: Akbar Tea · search the archive · Akbar Brothers, family-owned, Colombo-based, Sri Lanka's largest tea exporter
Published by Akbar Tea or its owner
- Akbar: Our story · search the archive · 100% pure Ceylon tea blended and packed in Kelaniya; cites ISO 9001, ISO 22000 and Fair Trade.
- Akbar: Frequently asked questions · search the archive · Tea from Sri Lankan estates; claims Fairtrade and Rainforest Alliance certifications and fair pay aims; ships to 100+ countries.
- Akbar: about · search the archive · Family-owned by the Akbarally family; Sri Lanka's largest tea exporter since 1992; solar-powered manufacturing facilities
Company details
- Owned by
- Akbar Brothers (Akbar Group)
- Headquarters
- Sri Lanka
- Last researched
- 3 November 2026
- Cite this page
- Labour Lens, "Is Akbar Tea ethical? Labour rating", https://www.labourlens.net/brand/akbar-tea, last researched 3 November 2026, accessed [date].
- Method
- Researched with AI assistance against published rules. How we check · What Lacks transparency means
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Grades are opinions based on the evidence listed here. Send us evidence, or a right of reply if you represent Akbar Tea.