The new partnership, 'Akbar Brothers', was registered in 1969.

It had not been an easy decision for the young Akbarallys to uproot themselves from the well-established and successful family firm, Hebtulabhoys. They knew they were walking away from comfort and stability and taking their future firmly into their own hands. They did, however, have the confidence of youth and enough faith in their own abilities to make the bold move.

…with hardly any capital to start with, the Akbarallys had no option but to put their personal assets on the line; starting with the family home. They all clearly remember their collective discomfiture when a shroff from the Mercantile Bank paid a visit and walked through every room of their home at Clifford Place to prepare a valuation of the premises. The mortgage raised 450,000 rupees. The brothers sold their cars, Abbas parting regretfully with his beloved MG. The shared family car, a Vauxhall Wyvern, was also mortgaged.

Abbas, Abid and Inayet rented a small, three-bedroom apartment on the first floor of 333 Galle Road, Colpetty. The new office was blessed by the priest and, after offering up a fervent prayer that they had made the right move, the three brothers got to work. The dining table, borrowed from Abbas' house, took up most of the apartment's living space, and the directors all worked around this table. The master bedroom was converted into the sample room and the tasting room was the narrow balcony at the back of the apartment…

In 2019, Akbar Brothers celebrated its 50th year in the tea business, with the family still very much hands-on.

The skill and technical competence of the senior Akbarallys, which enabled them to design blends that suited the tastes of their clients and then keep producing these blends consistently, month after month, year after year, in the face of constantly changing conditions, was key to setting the family company apart from its competitors. This is one of the reasons that these masters of the art have assiduously passed their knowledge and their work ethic down to the younger generations and to the company's other professional tasters, who are among the very best in the industry.

The current business leaders - Tyeab, Asgi, Hatim, Mansoor and Huzefa - have proved themselves worthy successors and dedicated tea men, even by their fathers' exacting standards. Shabbir and Alefiya are both Non-Executive Directors; Shabbir also serves Akbars in the capacity of company doctor, and Alefiya, though now living overseas, still lends her creative flair to the group whenever it is called for.

Today, as the Akbarally family tree continues to flourish, the youngest shoots - the fifth generation born into a heritage of tea - have begun to introduce their own fresh ideas into the mix. With each season, there is a new infusion of flavours into the business; the family blend is further enriched; and the Akbarally story continues.