ABOUT US
Brooklyn Beverages, Inc. (BKB) is the independent export division of Haileyburia Tea Estates Ltd. (HTEL). A Delaware incorporated holding located in New York, BKB exclusively makes export markets for HTEL’s produce. It also leverages its position in the Cochin Tea Auction to further address needs with award-winning procurement solutions.
Incorporated in 1923, Haileyburia Tea Estates Ltd. (HTEL) operates three estates—Haileyburia, Semni Valley, and Chinnar—spread over 3,000 acres in Elappara, Kerala, India. It employs over 1,000 people to produce 1.8 million kilograms of crush-tear-curl (CTC) black tea annually. In addition, HTEL grows coffee and spices, mainly black pepper and cardamom. The company is headquartered in Kochi, the commercial capital of Kerala.
TEAM
YASH DUGAR
Chief Executive Officer
Yash Dugar, a Certified Professional Accountant (CPA), is the youngest Chief Executive in HTEL’s 90-year old history. Since his tenure in 2009, he has been instrumental in HTEL’s revival and metamorphosis into one of the region’s premier plantation holdings. With a keen interest in tea manufacturing, he spearheaded Chinnar’s winning bid for the Golden Leaf Awards – Southern Tea Competition (TGLIA:STC), CTC – Dust Category, in 2010. His unbridled passion stems from a family heritage in tea that spans three generations.
Yash holds an MS in Accounting from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
JITEN PAREEK
General Manager
Jiten Pareek brings over 35 years of experience in tea cultivation and manufacturing. Having worked in all plantation districts of India—Assam, Darjeeling, Nilgiris, and now Central Travancore—he has produced some of the most iconic teas in the world. In addition to his mastery in tea cultivation, he is specialized in manufacturing CTC, Orthodox, and Green Teas.
Not just we but the greater tea industry owes Jiten for his contributions as a planter. He has served as the Chairman of Teaserve, the world’s first electronic tea auction center, an initiative of the Government of Tamil Nadu initiative in Coonoor and the Nilgiri Planters Association (NPA). In addition, he has served or serves in the august committees of the Tea Association of Assam (ITA-Assam), the Planters Association of Tamil Nadu (PAT), the United Planters Association of India (UPASI), and the Central Travancore Association (CTA).
M. SASI KUMAR
Manager, Finance
M. Sasi Kumar brings over 36 years of experience in banking service with Indian Bank, a venerable Indian state-owned financial services company, where he retired as a Senior Manager. His management portfolios included industrial credit and retail banking.
M. Sasi Kumar holds an MS in Cost Accounting of Indian Institute of Banks.
M. LINGARAJ
Manager, Quality Control
M. Lingaraj brings over 15 years of experience in tea tasting, quality control, and assisting manufacturers at various centers, including Cochin, Coonoor, Coimbatore, and Calcutta. He has worked with leading auctioneers Carritt Moran & Co., Paramount Tea Marketing Pvt. Ltd., and Contemporary Tea Auctioneers Pvt. Ltd.
Referred internally as the Pied Piper of Willingdon Island for his intimate knowledge of the tea trading and port district, Lingaraj knows someone for anything and everything on the island.
M. Lingaraj holds an HSM in Systems Management, BBM, and PGDPM.
SHRESHTH DUGAR
Director – Advisory Board
After graduating from New York University (NYU), Shreshth worked with several early-stage ventures in New York City. He has also represented interests for a Moscow-based investment fund focused on consumer technology in North America. Its backers had exposure in the burgeoning sectors of Russian telecom, media, and commodities.
Shreshth holds a BA in European Studies and Journalism from NYU.