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| Wednesday, 10 November 2004 |
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250 farmers to earn substantial income Ceylon Cold Stores Limited (CCS), the pioneer manufacturers of carbonated soft drinks and ice cream in Sri Lanka signed a 'Forward Sales Contract' yesterday under the Govi Sahanaya scheme introduced by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka. "With the signing of this agreement, CCS will be able to have direct contact with the ginger farmers in the Hataraliyadda and Pujapitiya areas, thereby ensuring that what we receive is the freshest of ginger which is so essential for the production of our Ginger Beer which is now not just a Sri Lankan favourite but an international favourite as well since we started exporting the product to Australia, Thailand, Dubai, Oman, the US and Switzerland" said Sector Head Food and Beverage of John Keells, Jit Guneratne at a media briefing yesterday. This project will enable around 250 farmers to earn a substantial income, with the added advantage of it being a regular one. "We have had a lot of interest and appreciation displayed by the farmers in this project as they now have a solid buyer for their produce and a regular source of income," Guneratne said. "Indeed we are very grateful to CCS for entering into this agreement directly with the farmers as this way the middle man is eliminated and we are assured of a steady source of income which enables us to plan ahead and even try to expand our present cultivation capacities" said I.K.G Abeyratne Banda, a farmer from the Kandy District at the media briefing. Elephant Ginger Beer or EGB as it is popularly known has been made since 1896 using only natural ginger extract which is obtained from the 'Siddha' variety of ginger and is an excellent remedy for digestive problems, high blood pressure, chilblains, fever and even in cases of food poisoning. Ginger is also known to inhibit platelet aggression and therefore is suitable for people predisposed to clotting which leads to both strokes as well as heart attacks. "From the very outset the production process of EGB is handled in a unique manner where the ginger is sun dried and thereafter a liquid called 'Oleoresin' is extracted from the sun dried ginger which is the substance used to give Elephant Ginger Beer its unique and natural taste " said Director CCS, Laksiri Wikramage. Wickramage said that CCS were the only manufacturers of Ginger Beer in Sri Lanka to adhere to this process. " EGB has been in the market for 102 years and we are proud to say that our quality has never dropped and our market share is at an enviable 90% despite the entry of foreign carbonated soft drinks". At present CCS has a 48% market share of the entire local carbonated soft drinks industry and 70% market share of the ice cream industry. " I think we can safely say that CCS is the only company in the world who have been able to successfully compete against the international Cola giants and maintain market leadership, safeguarding local brands, not just in the soft drinks industry but in the case of ice creams as well," he said. Guneratne said that the secret of the Company's success lay in the fact that CCS consistently maintained quality, with customer satisfaction being the prime consideration. "We constantly conduct customer surveys, with periodic research being done on consumer behavioural patterns, and adjust our product range accordingly," he said. |
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