KUALA LUMPUR, July 16 — Malaysia’s largest tea producer, Boh, is turning 95 this year.
Sprawling over 1,000 hectares of land in Cameron Highlands, Boh owns three tea garden: Boh, Fairlie and Sungei Palas.
The Boh Tea Garden is the company’s largest and oldest tea garden and is also home to its first tea factory that was built in the 1930s.
It is said that tea bushes can live up to 100 years under ideal conditions like those found in Cameron Highlands.
Boh takes its name from the Bohea hills (also called Wuyi Hills) in Fujian Province, where Emperor Shennong of China is believed to have discovered tea.
Interestingly, Bohea was also the name of a premium tea grade in early China. The word “boh” also means precious happiness in the Mandarin language.
Life at the tea gardens, however, was not always bright and rosy.
After Russell died due to tuberculosis in Singapore, his widow Kathleen insisted to keep Boh running and after World War II, his son Tristan took over the business and went to become Boh’s longest-serving chairman.
During World War II, the estate was occupied by the Japanese colonials and was largely abandoned. Then, during the Malayan Emergency period between 1948 and 1960, communists targeted the plantations as their prime “ambush territory”.
Boh, however, bounced back from the slumber during the 1960s.
Under Tristan’s stewardship, Boh grew to four plantations, including the acquisition of the Sungei Palas tea estate which was formerly owned by Danish residents.
Then in 1980s, Boh introduced the catchy tagline that still best describes the ‘kick’ you get in every cup of Boh’s tea: “Boh Ada Ummph!”
With tea drinkers expanding their palate, Boh rolled out the Instant Tea Mix drinks such as Teh Tarik Kurang Manis, Sencha Green Tea, Garden Teas and Botanical Beverage between 2010 and 2019.
Now, at 95, Boh produces 2.8 million kilograms of tea annually and serves five million cups of tea daily. In fact, experienced Boh pickers can harvest over 200kg of green leaves a day, enough to make 45kg of tea!
“A cup of Boh tea helps to connect us to ourselves, our friends and family, and even the Earth,” said Caroline Russell, the company’s executive chairman and Russell’s granddaughter.
To mark the milestone, Boh is launching a five-day roadshow themed 95 and Brewing for Tomorrow at 1Utama from tomorrow (July 17) to July 21.
Boh brand ambassadors Fazura and Azira Shafinaz will also be attending the event. Actress Fazura is also set to unveil a new collection of her Fazura Tudung specially designed for Boh’s 95th anniversary.
