John Burton Coffee & Tea imports high quality green coffee beans, sourced from more than 20 countries around the world, and delivers them to New Zealand’s top coffee roasters. Alongside coffee, they import Dilmah Tea from Sri Lanka and distribute it to throughout the country. 

John has helped pioneer the Coffee Industry in NZ since 1980. NZ coffee is based around quality green beans, and nothing has changed in over 40 years, except adding a few new origins to our mix. After University, John joined a family business that had imported tea since 1933, and when that company sold in 1984, he set up his own business. 

However, the story began four generations ago in 1936, when John’s grandfather, Herbert Burton, set up HE Burton Ltd, a tea importing business. Herbert was joined by his sons, Jack and Geoff, after the Second World War, and the business grew to become a major importer of tea, selling it in bulk to NZ Packers. After Herbert died in 1961, his sons continued in the business, and in 1979, were joined by Jack’s son, John. In 1982, HE Burton was sold to a French company.

In 1985, John set up his own company, John Burton Ltd, and started importing green coffee beans from PNG, alongside the bulk tea, as well as diversifying into other commodities such as orange and pineapple juice concentrate, canned pineapple and sugar. This was about the time that the New Zealand government relaxed import duties and eliminated import licenses.

In 1991, they launched Dilmah Tea into the NZ market. John’s father, Jack, continued to work part time until 1995, and passed away in 2011. John’s brother David is also heavily involved in the coffee industry, with his company ‘Jack’s Coffee’.

In 2013, John’s daughter Alice joined the company, to continue on the family business culture. John’s business philosophy was learnt from his father and grandfather. He believes ethics, integrity and honesty are paramount, and that maintaining strong relationships with suppliers and customers is fundamental to the development of a successful business. He has continued to pass these on to his daughter.

In July 2023, Merrill J. Fernando passed away, aged 93, after dedicating his life to tea. His son, Dilhan, and grandson, Amrit, continue on his legacy. Between the Burton family and the Fernando Family, they comitt to making “Business a Matter of Human Service”.