BizBuds

Slow but steady mission

Ramani Kangaraarachchi

Managing Director Dilshan Wevita receiving the Business Excellence Award from a member of the National Chamber of Commerce.

A little poultry farm started just with fifty birds in 1985 by Phillip Wevita as a part time job has grown into a strong integrated poultry business in the country which processes around 9,000 to 10,000 birds a day at its plant in Kosgama 30km away from Colombo. Branded as ‘Pussalla’ he is said to be the only chicken processor who has identified the niche market in chilled chicken which makes chicken more affordable for its customers islandwide retailing through their twenty four outlets and through other distributors.

“Modern technology infused more blood to the industry. Confidence placed on trustworthy employees is my success,” Chairman, Pussalla Farms Pvt Ltd Phillip Wevita told the Daily News Biz Bud.

I have a large number of long-standing employees who are very loyal and dedicated, he said.

An old boy of De Mazenod College, Kandana Phillip Wevita started his career as a Polymer Technologist at Richard Pieris.

He won the Richard Pieris Memorial Gold Medal and opted to bid farewell to his longstanding career in 1988 when he was convinced that his little part-time job could go a long way. He was right making the decision.

Recollecting his slow but steady growth over the years with his little farm he said that the market was not so competitive those days and he was able to sell all what he produced.

“I did not have the electricity supply at the farm and I stored everything in the refrigerator at home and transported it to the market in a motorbike. Having observed the growing market I realized the need to have electricity to go forward.

Chairman, Pussalla Farms Phillip Wevita

Then I applied for a bank loan for Rs four million. After receiving the loan I got three phase electricity supply to the farm.

With that the production increased and quality had to be maintained.

In the meantime the requirement of a processing plant emerged. A grant from UNDP helped us to purchase this plant and then we needed a freezer truck.

By this time the supply of chicks from outside was not sufficient and I decided to start a parent farm followed by a hatchery. With all these improvements Phillip still could not cope with the production.

“In the meantime, my son Dilshan joined me after graduating from Monash University in Australia. This enabled me to take the company forward with modern technology and proper administration. It would not have happened only with my experience. That is why I believe that young and new blood must come into the business. Today my son is the Managing Director of the company, he said.

By 2002 the capacity level of the business increased and the company went for a fully automated processing plant and ventured into chicken retailing business setting up its first retail shop in Pelawatta.

Meanwhile, the market became competitive gradually and Pussalla also expanded with another three fully automated processing plants in their own farms at Bope, Meeriyagalla and Padukka.

Other agricultural products such as Coconut and bananas are well grown in the forty acre land using waste from the poultry farm converted to fertiliser.

An outlet of Pussalla. Pics by Ramani Kangaraarachchi

The company has ventured into value added products and more varieties of processed meat including other products through their meat shops in the suburbs of Colombo for the convenience of the customers. “Our chilled chicken are more popular than frozen chicken because it is fresh and carries a greater degree of hygiene.

We can supply to the tailor made requirements of our customers which is not available in Super Markets and therefore we do not consider super markets are a threat,” Phillip said.

In 2003 Pussalla Farm featured in Asian Poultry Magazine as one of the top broiler producers in Asia and it is said to be the only chicken processing company which has obtained ISO 9001 2000 International Certification from UK. Pussalla Meat Producers Pvt Ltd also won National Business Excellence Award 2008 as Runner-up in Livestock and Fisheries Sector from the Chamber of Commerce Sri Lanka.

The company has provided around seven hundred direct employment opportunities and six hundred indirect in the village and to several professionals from outside.

The industry has around Rs. One Billion asset base today including 15 vehicles. Its future plan includes increasing the number of meat shop outlets and produce more value added ready to cook items such as chicken crust, seasoned winglets, drumstick, pepperfried gizzard and chilled chicken.