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IFC, Keells Super to strengthen food, agricultural sectors

IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, and JayKay Marketing Services (JMSL), a subsidiary of John Keells Holdings PLC, teamed up to strengthen the company’s sustainable sourcing initiatives and collection centers, including farmer cooperative societies and other farmer communities in the value chain and making the model replicable.

This will achieve the twin objectives of offering customers high quality products at reasonable prices and improving job stability and skill development of growers and producers. IFC’s approach will be to initially carry out a diagnostic study which will lay the foundation for future work with JMSL.

JayKay Marketing Services (Pvt) Ltd. owns and operates 37 modern format supermarkets under the brand names ‘Keells Super’ and ‘Super K’.

These food and grocery retail outlets will facilitate securing reliable sources of high quality produce from the farm gate and set up collection centers in agricultural areas, as part of its “Sustainable Sourcing Initiatives” programme.

President Consumer Foods and Retail Group of John Keells Holdings Jit Gunaratne said, “Our retail chain, ‘Keells Super’, has been working with farmer communities in various parts of the country in sourcing vegetables, rice and related products.

IFC’s support to partner us in our effort to improve the productivity of our farmer groups and to assist in streamlining the post harvest handling and the supply chain is going to add value to our business and help in making the model replicable.”

IFC Country Manager for Maldives and Sri Lanka Gilles Galludec said, “As part of this project, we will analyze the supply chain operations from both the farmer community and from JMSL perspective. The study will be useful in identifying critical gaps and making appropriate recommendations for addressing these.

Effective interventions will assist in the ultimate goal of replicating this model to reach more farmer communities and to make a better and wider rural impact. We are keen to partner with JMSL in this activity, as it aligns with our larger role of developing small and medium enterprises,” he added.

IFC support to the food and retail sector of the JKH Group through an Advisory Services package is aimed at providing a sustainable source of income and livelihood, increase the quality of life, job stability, skills and social development of growers and producers in the rural sector by bringing in best practices in terms of quality control, post harvest handing, access to finance and supply chain linkages.

Swadeshi introduces a new perfume

Sri Lanka’s pioneer herbal-based personal care products company Swadeshi Industrial Works has introduced an alluring new perfume that the company says captures the essence of the east, under its popular ‘Lady’ range.

Branded ‘Lady Black Rose,’ the perfume spray with the rich aroma of rose is made out of the world’s finest quality fragrance and promises to keep the skin refreshed throughout the day, the company said.

Describing the new product as “a true celebration of femininity,” a spokesperson for the company said: “Rose is a legendary fragrance which is loved by women all over the world and the demand for this fragrance is high in the local market too.”

She said the new fragrance is derived from rose flower essence oil and is expected to be a hit among the young female adults as it will be a new experience to them.

Targeted at women on the go, the new product is packaged in an attractive 33ml bottle which is handy and easy to carry.

It will be available at all leading supermarket chains, stand alone supermarkets, cosmetic and pharmacy outlets and “A” grade groceries. The ‘Lady’ branded perfume range has already a line-up of four variants - lotus, araliya, orchid and jasmine and is richly perfumed with the scent of natural flower essence oils.

Swadeshi was the first company in Sri Lanka to launch the lotus and orchid fragrances which are internationally established and are used in the production of world renowned branded perfumes.

Nkar launches more Kenya packages

Nary Travels and tours (Pvt) Ltd have once again organised a successful tour to Kenya to witness the great wildebeest migration - an awe-inspiring natural event in the world.

Kenya has long been known as the home of Africa’s famous “Big Five” (Lion, Elephant, Rhino, Leopard and Buffalo). It is the best continent to see these five magnificent species in their natural environment.

The ‘safari’ was born in Kenya, where it means simply ‘ a journey’.

No other country on each can offer the visitor as much to see and do. Here you will find savannah rich with big game, timeless cultures and unchanged by the modern world, pristine beaches and coral reef, equatorial forests and mighty snow capped mountains, searing deserts and cool highland retreats, an exotic history and a fascinating modern culture, and endless opportunities for adventure, discovery, relaxation and so much more than you ever expected.

More details can be obtained from [email protected].

Philips assures further energy savings with electronic ballasts

In the face of today’s spiralling fuel prices and growing environmental awareness, reducing energy consumption is a top priority. Everyone is interested in using energy saving lighting for their offices, factories and homes.

As the world renowned leader in lighting solutions, Philips Lighting has taken up the challenge of providing improved comfort at lower cost, and transformed the lighting landscape with state-of-the-art lighting tailored to individual needs.

Factories and office complexes need lamps that are energy-efficient, long-lasting and give high-quality colour when precise attention to detail is required. Fluorescent lamps are the best equipped to meet these exacting needs, but such lighting installations could increase total running costs by as much as 50%.

The new Philips electronic ballast, used in fluorescent lamps, is the smart answer to cutting operating costs. The electronic ballast replaces the traditionally used electromagnetic ballast and starter in fluorescent lamps, and is quick, easy and less expensive to install. It is very cost effective as the investment pays for itself within a relatively short period, and money is saved daily thereafter, by not using electromagnetic ballasts and starters.

“Electronic ballasts used with daylight linking lead to additional savings of up to 50% in energy and they assure a reduction in energy costs of between 20-25%, which automatically translates into lower energy bills whilst the lamp life can also be extended upto 50%”, Hayleys Lighting Business unit Manager Janaka Kiridena, said.

“Electronic ballasts are flexible as well, in that present lighting systems need not be upgraded to accommodate them. Once used on existing lamps, they give much greater efficiency by saving on unnecessary energy usage,” Kiridena said.

Philips electronic ballasts come with a host of other benefits too. They enable lower air-conditioning running costs because they dissipate less heat. Ignition is also fast and flicker-free, as the lamp lights up quickly and smoothly.

Research that lies behind Philips’ latest lighting innovations confirms that comfortable lighting in workplaces makes employees more alert, motivated, and active, which lead to higher productivity. These considerations are at the heart of Philips’ office and industry lighting solutions.

Open day at Sri Lankan Embassy in Berlin

For the eighth consecutive year the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Berlin participated in the ‘All National Festival’ held in Berlin recently at the Chancery premises.

The doors of the Embassy were opened to the German public to have a glimpse of the country. The Open Day in summer is one of the regular calendar events of the Embassy’s promotional activities.

The Festival showcase the diversity and the rich cultural heritage of Sri Lanka and promote it as a destination for tourism, trade and investment. The Chancery and its garden were turned into a mini Sri Lankan bazaar showcasing artifacts, handicraft, culinary delights, ayurveda products, fresh fruits and vegetables, art and live music.

An art exhibition by Sri Lankan Artists who are domiciled in Germany was another attraction for all visitors.

SriLankan Airlines and Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau ‘Information Stalls’ attracted many visitors to gather information on tourism and the national carrier. With the assistance of the Sri Lanka Tourism Development and the Tourism Promotion Bureau, tourism promotional films were screened throughout the day for the visitors.

The Seva Vanitha sub-unit of SLEMB, Berlin contributed with home made traditional Sri Lankan rice and curry and sweets which was a popular spot for the German visitors.

The cultural event of the Open Day programme at the Embassy was organized with the assistance of the Sri Lanka Association - Berlin.