Tea Blends

Sri's Story

At the Smitea stall, a cup of tea is more than a drink. For Sri Balaras, it is an invitation to pause, connect and bring a little intention into a busy day.

Where did you grow up?
I was born in Sri Lanka and moved to New Zealand when I was nine. My father came first because of the civil war and, after a couple of years, sponsored Mum and us to join him. I did all my schooling here and went to university here.

Now you have your own family – how did you meet your wife?

I’ve known Nilani since we were very young – our parents were friends. We were childhood sweethearts and met up again at university. Now we have three young children and a tea business.

What does tea mean to you?

It’s a strong link to my birthplace and tea is a big part of Sri Lankan culture. For us, tea is a family ritual - we gather at the start and the end of our day to connect over a strong cup of black tea.

How did Smitea begin?
The name Smitea is inspired by Sanskrit and is meant to convey “putting a smile on someone’s face”. My wife, Nilani, is the original visionary behind the brand, starting the business along with her brother and sister.

What was her vision?

Nilani worked with tea houses in Australia to create blends that were more in the wellness space rather than just traditional black tea. They wanted to create something that carried that sense of ritual and meaningful connection, while exploring more adventurous wellness-focused blends. We wanted herbal teas that are genuinely delicious.

Tell me about your tea blends

We have five tea blends and a coffee blend. Enchanted Garden is our most popular - it is a masala-style chai with cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, ginger, ginkgo and lemon balm. Divine is my favourite. It has a distinctive bite on the tongue and includes adaptogens - tulsi, ashwagandha, shatavari, and Siberian ginseng.

How did you become involved?
My university degree was in health sciences, so I was always interested. When we had our children, I stepped in to help with the operational side — food-import requirements, council licensing and systems. At the same time, I was thinking a lot about stress and how difficult it can be to slow down, so that became part of the brand story too.

Is that why the brand extended to include meditation sessions?
Yes. I run a one-hour session about once a month, usually at the Ponsonby Community Centre. We brew tea, using it as an anchor in a meditation practice that includes intention-setting, visualisation, and reflection. The aim is not religious - it is about making time to pause, reflect, and reconnect with yourself and others.

Why are markets important to Smitea?
I considered putting more energy into online sales, but that felt at odds with a brand built around community and connection. At the market, people can taste a blend, ask where the ingredients come from, and have a real conversation. Grey Lynn Farmers Market customers value that genuine approach.

What do you do when you are not working?
Life is full, revolving around our children and our tea business, but I also enjoy making Tamil short films and would love to spend more time on that creative work.

smitea.co.nz

As published in Ponsonby News : November 2026