Kamahl opens up about her stormy relationship with Dilmah tea founder Merrill J Fernando after he appeared in the brand’s first Australian advert, as the tea king dies aged 93.

Television legend and musician Kamahl has opened up about his stormy relationship with Dilmah tea founder Merrill J Fernando.

Kamahl, 88, expressed his condolences when the Daily Mail Australia broke the news that Fernando, 93, had passed away surrounded by family in Sri Lanka on Thursday.

Kamahl met Mr. Fernando in 1988 when the couple filmed Dilmah’s first television commercial featuring the singer traveling to Sri Lanka and drinking the now-iconic brand of tea.

Kamahl said: ‘How can I put it on without putting my foot on it? I’m really sorry to hear that.

“We had a business relationship and it could have been so much better.”

“The story goes like this in 1988, and I don’t know if it’s rumors, but I heard that Merrill wanted to do the commercial with John Farnham.

‘I don’t know who, but someone said, “I don’t like kamahl and I don’t like tea, but kamahl and tea go together like horse and carriage.”

‘That’s how I was appointed to do the commercial.’

After an ad spat between Kamahl and Mr. Fernando over the use of the ad, the TV legend cut ties with the tea brand before reuniting 25 years later.

“It got a little ugly and things were never the same after that.” Kamahl said. ‘Our relationship had ups and downs.

“We ended the relationship, although for the 25th anniversary I did everything possible to help them.

“I would have liked to work with him more closely, put this way.

‘Since he has passed away, I want to express my condolences. Perhaps now is not the time to talk about what might have been.

‘I think it’s better to just say I’m really sorry to hear that. And I was grateful for the opportunity to work with him and his family.’

After some misunderstandings, Kamahl ‘cut off’ their relationship before returning to help the tea brand with its 25th anniversary celebrations.

Merrill J Fernando was surrounded by his children and grandchildren when he died Thursday in Colombo, Sri Lanka.

He is known throughout Australia and New Zealand for his iconic catchphrase “try it out”.

The tea company announced Mr. Fernando’s death saying that his “greatness was in his invincible faith, his integrity and love for tea and family.”

“With devotion and urgency he pursued his desire for integrity and quality with humility and kindness,” the company said.

Merrill J Fernando was surrounded by his family when he passed away Thursday. Above, in one of the company’s famous promotional stills.

The founder helped create the brand’s first single origin tea in 1988 and worked until he was 91 years old.

Mr. Fernando also founded the Merrill J. Fernando Charitable Foundation, which supports youth, entrepreneurs, community organizations, incarcerated individuals, and war widows in Sri Lanka.

His son, Malik J Fernando, shared a heartfelt tribute to his father on LinkedIn.

‘He was such an imposing figure in our lives; we never thought she would leave us,’ she wrote.

‘He is surely in the arms of the Lord today. My brother and I, and our children, are committed to strengthening his legacy and furthering his mission. RIP dear Thathie (father)’.

The founder had helped create the brand’s first single-origin tea in 1988 and worked until he was 91 (pictured, Dilhan Fernando and his father Merrill Fernando)

Dilmah’s dominance in Australian supermarkets

Tea became a staple in Australia in 1985 when Dilmah made his first deal with Coles.

Australia was the first country to which the Sri Lankan brand expanded with its packaged tea, rather than bulk sales, which is now sold in 104 countries around the world.

While Dilmah remains the 10th largest tea brand in the world, it hasn’t earned a penny in Australia since 2009.

Chief Executive Dilhan Fernando previously told Daily Mail Australia that Dilmah continues to operate in Australia due to the “debt of gratitude” the company owes the country.

Tea became a staple in Australia in 1985 when Dilmah made his first deal with Coles.

“We have a very sentimental tie to Australia because it’s where my father (Merrill) launched Dilmah,” he said.

‘We owe a huge debt of gratitude to the Australian consumer, That’s why we’ve been pursuing… what on the surface would appear to be a foolish decision to stay.’

Dilhan said Dilmah has been operating at a loss in Australia for so long because they refuse to cut back on quality to offer the deep discounts that retailers expect.

‘You can go to any store and you can find that they will attract you 50 percent off, 40 percent off. But when you focus on quality, that’s really not a possibility,” she said.

“It’s not possible because ultimately every discount comes from the backs of workers or the environment.

“And when you refuse to compromise, since my father insists that we stick to our principles, it’s very difficult in this current environment.”

Dilmah tea also holds a special place in the hearts of Kiwis.

In 2019, Mr. Fernando received an honorary Doctor of Science degree from Massey University of New Zealand.

“When I brought Dilmah to New Zealand, Kiwis made my tea a cup of goodness,” she said at the time.

‘The cup of kindness grew the philosophy that I extended to my business, making my business a human service.’

The history of Dilmah tea in Australia

Dilmah has been a staple in Australian kitchens since it was first sold here at Coles in 1985.

Founder of the company Merrill Fernando he had been supplying bulk tea to many Australian importers and said it was a logical extension to bottling it himself.

Dilmah tea (pictured) has been a staple in Australian kitchens since 1985

Initially, the company did this for private label teas, such as supermarket own lines.

But then he had the idea to offer his own brand, which he named Dilmah after his sons Dilhan, who is now the CEO, and Malik.

“It was not easy because it was not something accepted at the time for a producer to offer his products directly to the market, so he had a very difficult time,” Dilhan said.

‘But in September 1985, by the grace of God and the embrace of Australian consumers for unblended, source-picked and packaged tea, Dilmah was born in Australia and has since traveled to nearly 100 countries.

“Of course we are not big, we are niche and people say we are in the top 10 in the world, but we maintain our quality and remain a specialty tea in most markets.”

Dilmah’s success has enabled it to build many schools and two hospitals in Sri Lanka.