Warren Tea Ltd, established in May, 1977, which has 13 tea gardens in Upper Assam, is an associate of James Warren. In 1993, the Manchester-based G S Ruia Group bought James Warren from McLeod Russel, gaining control of Warren Tea.
The company suffered a minor setback in its working in 1987-88. Its yield per hectare is 2255 kg. Warren Tea, along with its associate companies, has purchased a 24% equity stake in Vegepro Foods & Feeds, which was held by Glaxo.
The company diversified into the manufacture of sugar and other downstream products as a part of its growth plans. A MoU was signed with the Karnataka Industrial Investment and Development Corporation to set up a 2-mtpa cement plant. Besides the plantation and agro-based segments, the engineering sector has also been identified by the company for diversification. In 1997-98, Warren Metal Industries was amalgamated with the company.
During year 2004-05, the Scheme of Arrangement between DPIL Limited, Spectra Plaza Private Limited and the Company and their respective shareholders, for transfer of specified demerged assets and liabilities of DPIL Limited to Spectra Plaza Private Limited and also amalgamation of Spectra Plaza Private Limited (together with the specified demerged assets and liabilities of DPIL Limited transferred to Spectra Plaza Private Limited) with Company was effective from 31st March, 2005. Pursuant to the said Scheme of Arrangement, 1014153 Equity Shares of Rs.10/- each in the Company were issued and allotted to the shareholders of SPPL including those shareholders of DPIL who were entitled to the Shares of SPPL in year 2007-08.
Due to restructuring, Warren Tea Holdings Limited ceased to be the Company's holding company consequent upon the shares held by it in the Company having stood transferred to other entities during the year 2011. The Scheme of Arrangement for Demerger of Seven Tea Estates of the Company to James Warren Tea Limited was effective on 9th January, 2014, with retrospective effect from 1st April, 2011. Warren Steels Private Limited ceased to be an Associate Company during the year 2016. During the year 2016, the Company acquired a further 35,00,000 Equity Shares of Maple subsequent to which the Company's holding in Maple was 46.92%.
Pursuant to the Scheme of Arrangement, realignment of interest of Promoters of the Company took place. Consequent on the same, Maple, being part of the Company's Promoter Group, acquired 1076664 Equity shares of the Company during the year 2017, as a result of which the Company was made an Associate of Maple. Due to restructuring, Warren Tea Holdings Limited ceased to be the Company's holding company consequent upon the shares held by it in the Company having stood transferred to other entities in 2018.
In November, 2022 the Company decided to exit the Plantation and Manufacturing of Tea Business in Assam and to concentrate on retail consumer marketing of teas as well as to remain active merchant exporters of tea to CIS / Eastern Europe / Gulf Countries. As a result of this, it Company sold all its remaining four Tea Estates during the period 2022-23.