Samaposha gets SLS certification
Samaposha, a Sri Lankan brand that has maintained high quality in production, nutrition value generation and original taste from the very moment it entered the Sri Lankan market, has been endowed with the prestigious Sri Lanka Standards certification. Samaposha is the first local cereal brand to receive the SLS certification in Sri Lanka.
Plenty Foods Limited, a subsidiary of Ceylon Biscuits Limited (CBL), is the pioneer in introducing innovative local agri-based food items to the market and Samaposha is its flagship brand that has carved a strong image for its nutritional qualities.
Samaposha, a food brand that has been popular among many market segments for a long time, is manufactured using local agricultural raw material such as corn, rice, soya and green gram which are purchased from 10,000 + dedicated farmers closely working with Plenty Foods Limited. These farmers are attached to a backward integration programme introduced by Plenty Foods Limited, where their produce is purchased by the company according to a pre-agreed pricing formula, ironing out the negative effects the farmers would otherwise face due to market price fluctuations. This has created a lot of positive sentiment among farmers to be with the company and to adhere with the production and quality requirements introduced by the company.
The production process of Samaposha, commencing from the point where the raw material is grown, to the point where the end pack emerges from the production line, goes through a stringent quality control process administered by Plenty Foods Limited. Under this quality management system the company provides the farmers with high quality seeds, superior technical know-how, cultivation practices and harvesting mechanisms. The entire conveyance process that includes harvesting, transportation and storage is carried out under special guidelines introduced by Plenty Foods Limited. The entire crop sourced from the farmers, is utilised for production of Samaposha within one year of its harvest.
The Samaposha production facility is located in Pallekele and this factory is considered to be the first of its kind in Sri Lanka where the entire production process, commencing from the raw material input point to packaging of finished products is carried out entirely by an automated process without any human intervention in order to ensure high quality and maintain international health and safety standards. The entire production process is continuously supervised by quality controllers with industry expertise and experience.
Shammi Karunaratne, Director- General Manager, Plenty Foods Limited speaking about the SLS certification said, “Samaposha is supporting the national mandate of eradicating malnutrition from Sri Lanka and from the inception this has been a key focus of our organisation.” Karunaratne further stated that Samaposha revolutionised the agri-food industry of Sri Lanka and as a result of the benefits of the backward integration programme, the agricultural land has been cultivated to its optimal capacity. A programme which commenced in 1996 with the participation of just 70 farmers cultivating 50 acres of land, has now grown in leaps and bounds with the strategic direction of Plenty Foods Limited. At present the 10,000 + farmers registered with the company earn more than Rs. 650 million by selling their produce to the company.
Group Director and Head of Sales and Marketing Nandana Wickramage said, “CBL is a heritage Sri Lankan corporate that is committed to high quality manufacturing practices, superior standards and innovation while maintaining our traditional norms. As a result we have managed to win and retain the goodwill of both local and overseas customers. Samaposha is a pioneer brand that has integrated traditional agricultural practices with modern technology. Due to this fusion we have managed to generate direct and indirect sustainable employment for many thousands.” Wickramage also mentioned that as a brand championing nutrition, good health and wellbeing, Samaposha is supporting many sports activities through its CSR programme and the annual national under 13 school football tournament is one such activity.
The Samaposha factory at its peak performance can process 40-50 million packets a year and plans are underway to introduce new products to the existing product portfolio.
