Hill Side, Hillside Group

Hill Side is a tea estate situated in Sri Lanka's Southern Province, operating at an altitude of just 9 metres above sea level. The estate is operated by Hill Side and produces black tea. It is recorded as supplying Finlays, one of the established names in tea sourcing and blending.

Terroir & Climate

At 9 metres elevation, Hill Side occupies one of the lowest-altitude positions for commercial tea cultivation in Sri Lanka. Estates at sea level or near-coastal elevations in this latitude typically experience warm, humid conditions year-round, with little of the diurnal temperature variation that characterises Ceylon's celebrated high-grown districts. Such low-altitude environments generally favour vigorous vegetative growth and faster flush cycles, though the leaf tends to develop differently from the slow-grown, high-altitude teas for which the island is best known.

The Southern Province's proximity to the equator and its maritime influence usually result in a more consistent growing season, with less pronounced quality peaks tied to monsoon patterns. Leaf grown at this elevation typically matures rapidly, and estates in comparable settings often focus on volume and consistent processing rather than the nuanced, complex profiles associated with mid- or high-elevation gardens.

Tea Produced

Hill Side produces black tea. Low-grown Ceylon teas from near-sea-level estates in the Southern Province generally yield a cup that is full-bodied and robust, with straightforward, malty characteristics rather than the bright, floral or citrus notes found at higher altitudes. The rapid growth cycle at this elevation typically results in larger leaf and a stronger, less delicate infusion, often suited to blending applications where body and colour are priorities. Teas from this profile tend to be dependable and consistent in character, though they rarely command the premiums of high-grown single-origin lots.

Supply Chain & Market Position

Hill Side is recorded as supplying Finlays, a vertically integrated tea business with extensive sourcing, blending and distribution operations. Finlays sources from estates across all the major origins and supplies branded and private-label tea to retailers and foodservice customers worldwide. A recorded relationship with Finlays suggests that Hill Side's output is destined for the blended-tea supply chain, where consistency, volume and competitive pricing are typically the principal commercial drivers.

• Recorded supplier to  Finlays

Operator

The estate is operated by Hill Side. No other estates under this operator are currently recorded in the directory.

Location & Neighbouring Estates

Hill Side, Hillside Group lies at 6.1605, 80.2675 in Southern Province, Sri Lanka. Its 9 m elevation is the joint 129th highest of 134 estates we map in Southern Province. The nearest estates in the TeaTrade directory, measured point-to-point from these coordinates, are:

• Imbulgahagoda — 2.4 km away
• Nehinigala — 2.5 km away
• Ivy Valley — 3.4 km away
• Davidson — 4.2 km away
• Ruwanthanne — 4.2 km away

Estates at a Similar Altitude to Hill Side, Hillside Group

Elevation shapes how slowly leaf matures, so we match Hill Side, Hillside Group (9 m) with estates within 150 m of its height that are not its neighbours. Each is shown with its own 2025 climate. Hill Side, Hillside Group recorded 3,412 mm in 2025, 106% more than the 1,656 mm average across these estates: at the same height, local weather and exposure matter as much as elevation.

Estate	Where	Elevation	Rain 2025	Mean high
Baikuntopur tea Factory	Habiganj, Bangladesh	9 m	1,654 mm	30.4 °C
Aminabadh tea Factory	Moulvibazar, Bangladesh	9 m	2,718 mm	30.2 °C
Shaoxing Jianming Tea Industry Co., Ltd.	Shangyu City, China	9 m	1,306 mm	24.2 °C
Halssen \u0026 Lyon Gmbh	Hamburg, Germany	9 m	742 mm	14.3 °C
GOODRICKE GROUP LIMITED	GURUSADAY ROAD, India	9 m	1,858 mm	31.4 °C

Hill Side, Hillside Group Compared with Southern Province

In Southern Province, Hill Side, Hillside Group is wetter than 80% of the others by 2025 rainfall; lower than 97% of the others by elevation; cooler than 51% of the others by daytime temperature. The table sets Hill Side, Hillside Group against the 133 other estates we map in Southern Province, so you can see whether it is typical for its region or an outlier.

Measure	Hill Side, Hillside Group	Region median	Region range
Elevation	9 m	49 m	6 to 806 m
Annual rainfall (2025)	3,412 mm	3,022 mm	2,210 to 3,589 mm
Mean daily high	29.8 °C	29.8 °C	25.9 to 30.5 °C
Mean overnight low	22.5 °C	22.6 °C	18.2 to 24.1 °C

Observed Climate at Hill Side, Hillside Group (2025)

ERA5 reanalysis data modelled for Hill Side, Hillside Group’s coordinates recorded 3,412 mm of precipitation across calendar year 2025. The wettest month was November (533 mm) and the driest was February (78 mm). Daytime highs averaged 29.8 °C and overnight lows 22.5 °C over the year; May was the warmest month and January the coolest.

Metric	2025 value
Annual precipitation	3,412 mm
Wettest month	November (533 mm)
Driest month	February (78 mm)
Mean daily high	29.8 °C
Mean overnight low	22.5 °C

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Hill Side, Hillside Group located?

Hill Side, Hillside Group is in Southern Province, Sri Lanka, at coordinates 6.1605, 80.2675, at an elevation of about 9 metres.

Who operates Hill Side, Hillside Group?

Hill Side, Hillside Group is operated by Hill Side, according to public supply-chain records.

What type of tea does Hill Side, Hillside Group produce?

Hill Side, Hillside Group is recorded as producing black tea.

Which buyers does Hill Side, Hillside Group supply?

Public supplier disclosures record Hill Side, Hillside Group as supplying Finlays.

How much rain does Hill Side, Hillside Group receive?

ERA5 reanalysis data for the estate's coordinates recorded 3,412 mm of precipitation in 2025, peaking in November (533 mm).

How does Hill Side, Hillside Group compare with estates at a similar elevation?

Hill Side, Hillside Group recorded 3,412 mm in 2025, 106% more rain than the 1,656 mm average of estates at a similar elevation.

Data sources: public supply-chain disclosures (Ethical Tea Partnership member lists, Rainforest Alliance certificate holders and retailer supplier disclosures); climate figures are ERA5 reanalysis modelled for the estate’s coordinates via Open-Meteo (calendar year 2025); coordinates and elevations from geocoded records. Spotted an error? Email [email protected].