ADVERTORIAL

Rabeena Food tastes export success

Jai Sunthush Abeyewardene

Success is often achieved when one is able to go further than most, breaking limitations imposed by their own economic, physical and cultural boundaries.

Arumugam Logeswaran is a classic example of success, when he overcame the trials and tribulations when all his wealth earned by his batticaloa rice mill went up in flames during the height of the 1985 disturbances in Batticaloa, to become one of the most powerful men in the food export businesses today.

A characteristic that set Logeswaran apart is his strong will to achieve and a resourceful spirit. His first taste of success was when he started exporting fresh pineapple to Dubai with the help of a few generous friends lavishly funding his enterprise as they loved him for his honesty.

Given his fierce determination to succeed, he was soon selling authentic Sri Lankan dishes in packets, bottles and cans faster than cooks could cook them.

Logeswaran the visionary business leader found a huge untapped market in the UK amongst Sri Lankan’s living there who yearned to savour the tongue teasing Achcharu, lime pickle, seeni sambol or katta sambol to go with rice and curry laid on the table.

This fascinating finding led to the birth of Rabeena Traders in 1986 which was incorporated in 1992 as Rabeena Food (Private) Limited and Logeswaran became its Managing Director, said Rabeena Food (Private) Limited Director Kala Amirthalingam to Daily News.

“We have our own factories in Mattakkuliya and Homagama turning out these canned delicacies under strict hygienic conditions conforming to international food safety and quality standards.

We have found that Sri Lankans and foreigners wherever they are in the world enjoy Rabeena food products, for they trust our genuiness and this we state backed by a 22 year legacy in the industry, she emphasised.

“Rabeena food items take different tastes, flavours and aromas as pickles, chutneys, sambols, pastes, brines, mixes, jellys, jams, sauces, spices, curry powders, cordials, snacks, sweets, oils...the list is virtually endless and these find their way to home kitchens in Australia, Canada, UAE, France, Switzerland, Germany, Holland, Denmark, Norway and UK. Our products are distributed by a sole agent for each country, she said.

“We purchase all required ingredients for our production from local producers with whom we have had long-term dealings and this has led to both parties trusting each other and growing together. Our staff is akin to a happy family working together and enjoying their work, she said.

While our dialogue continued I saw Kala’s eye getting glued to the computer screen, this aroused my curiosity. She gave a printout of the Email she had just received. It read:

From - Torben Vindnaes To - [email protected] Subject- Rabeena Dealers in Denmark

During a visit abroad we bought a can of Rabeena Curry Powder and ever since that day your Rabeena Curry Powder has become “the one and only curry brand” within our family....other brands simply won’t do..!

However, we are now slowly running out of stock and therefore we would like you to inform us where to buy your fantastic Rabeena Curry here in Denmark. Do you have any dealers in Denmark? Best regards Torben Vindnaes.

According to Kala ...heaps of Emails as these stacked on her office table every morning is a common sight encountered by her and these electronic inquiries are testimony to the benchmark quality of Rabeena Foods.

Speaking of future plans she said that from a community based market approach, they will be advancing to a direct to supermarket mechanism, soon while exploring hitherto new markets and increasing volume of exports.

Rabeena has been a winner all the way starting from 1995 with Oman Air naming Rabeena Food as “Best Customer” for exporting vegetables and fruits to Middle East markets.

The in 1999 NCE Merit Award for medium category non traditional agricultural products. Again in 2000 NCE awarded Silver for most outstanding Exporter - Runner-up, Gold for Medium Category on Non Traditional Agricultural Products, Gold for Most Outstanding Exporter and in 2004 achieved 18th International Europe Award for Quality New Millennium Award from Trade Leader Club Paris - France 2004.

DHL leads in Asia

DHL, the world’s leading logistics company, has successfully defended its top position in the most important airfreight markets in Europe and North America. These are the results of the rankings just published by the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

The results are based on the IATA-managed clearing accounts between airlines and airfreight service providers.

“The IATA ranking confirms that DHL Global Forwarding has sustained its position as market leader despite last year’s difficult economic environment,” said a member of Deutsche Post DHL’s Board of Management and DHL Global Forwarding, Freight CEO Hermann Ude.

“In 2010 we’ve benefited inordinately from the worldwide economic recovery, not least because of our strong presence in growth regions like Asia. We are also confident that in the months ahead we will be able to develop our business dynamically,” he said.

As in 2008, DHL was also ranked the number one freight forwarding company in the US and Canada in 2009.

DHL Global Forwarding has also recaptured the top position in the vital German market, which was temporarily conceded to a competitor the year before. In addition, the company again reached the number one position in Italy, the Netherlands, Switzerland and partly in eleven other European markets.

And for the first time, the freight divisions in Ireland and Spain also managed to move up to first place. DHL Global Forwarding also secured further top rankings in Asia, namely in Hong Kong, Australia, Singapore and Indonesia.

“These good results show that we are on track. But with the world economy and the shipment volumes still not completely stabilized, we’ve continued our close monitoring of the markets - just to be prepared for eventual fluctuations,” said DHL Global Forwarding Global Airfreight Head Michael Schaecher.

After airfreight revenues dropped in 2009, IATA has registered a significant worldwide increase in the current year. In the first half of 2010, airfreight volumes rose by 17 per cent.

IATA expects the whole aviation industry to achieve a profit of US $ 8.9 billion in 2010 - in June the calculated figure was only US $ 2.5 billion. The positive development is caused mainly by the booming markets in Asia and by changes in the currency markets.

Australia aids North

The Australian High Commissioner Kathy Klugman handed over seed storage facilities to the Agriculture Minister Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena, to help store seeds for planting in the upcoming Maha cultivation season in northern Sri Lanka.

The Australian Government contributed approximately Rs 40 million towards the World Food Program’s Storage and Post Harvest project for the temporary containers and to fund repairs of existing storage containers in the Northern Province.

Australia’s contribution recognizes the critical need to help resettling populations in the north to re-establish their livelihoods and get back on their feet.

In this way, Australia recognizes the importance of helping farmers to protect both seed and the harvest to ensure a good Maha season. WFP has worked with the Government’s Agriculture Ministry and with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) to identify the most critical storage needs for the north.

The resulting project will renovate or establish new storage facilities for paddy and other agricultural inputs in the four northern districts of Mannar, Vavuniya, Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu.

This contribution builds on earlier Australian assistance valued at Rs 600 million to procure large quantities of paddy seed and other inputs to distribute in the north to accelerate the agriculture recovery process.

Packs of seed paddy, other food crops and tools are already being distributed through the FAO to over 25,000 families in the Northern Province.

It is estimated this will be enough to replant between 70,000 and 100,000 acres of land.

The Australian Government’s contribution will support Sri Lanka Government’s efforts to promote the full recovery of the agricultural sector in the Northern Province and help farmers to re-establish their incomes.

Australia hopes that this together with other support provided by the Government and by other donors will contribute to ending food dependency in the north and to a fast recovery through a successful Maha season.

Australia provided approximately A $ 75 million (Rs 7.5 billion) to Sri Lanka in its financial year ending June 30, 2010. This included about A $ 57 billion (Rs 5.7 billion) in emergency and humanitarian assistance to support the Government and people of Sri Lanka in northern recovery efforts in partnership with UN agencies.

Alpha Holdings partners Canada’s Centennial College

Alpha Holdings (Pvt0 Ltd, Canada’s partners with Centennial College, to establish a faculty in Sri Lanka to enhance the opportunities for Sri Lankan students to work in the healthcare industry.

The principal objective of Alpha Holdings partnering with Centennial College Canada is to absorb students into the job provision of nursing which has a burgeoning demands in the healthcare sector.

Alpha Holdings (Pvt) Ltd has been involved in the industry for 10 years sending students to Australia, Canada, UK and Europe for their education. ‘During this period the greatest achievement of our company is getting a Canadian faculty into Sri Lanka ‘said Alpha Holdings (Pvt) Ltd. Chairman and Managing Director Clement Perera.

Centennial College is an educational institute directly funded by the Canadian Government. Their move to set up a faculty in Sri Lanka will widen the opportunities for Sri Lankan students who are willing to join the health industry as nurses.

The establishment of a satellite institution of Canada’s Centennial College in Sri Lanka would emphasize better training for the students to get recruited in the industry. In this juncture healthcare industry globally requires more trained workers especially nurses to meet the increasing demands.

The students who will be trained by the institution that is going to be established in the near future would be allowed to join a Canadian University to finish the course with a degree.

Alpha Holdings (Pvt) co-partners with Personnel Interconnect Inc. that plays a significant role by assisting to find part-time or permanent employment for students who come to Canada after following the courses in the Sri Lankan faculty.

Forte Group, Global Hospitals hold scientific sessions

Global Hospitals and Health City along with the Forte Group and leading consultants of the Sri Lanka National Hospital Cardiology Department conducted a scientific session on the ‘Recent advances in cardiac sciences’ on October 3. This session was attended by around 150 doctors and proved to be extremely enlightening as many important papers were presented and case studies were discussed.

Forte International, a member of the Forte Group has been appointed the strategic partner for the Global Hospitals Group of India, on account of the strong presence the Forte Group has in the healthcare industry. Forte International, together with Global Hospitals, hopes to provide a long-term and lasting solution to Sri Lankan patients’ medical needs, together with the support of the local medical fraternity.

“We emphasize the fact that we cannot do this by ourselves but will work alongside our Sri Lankan doctors to bring relief to patients”, said Forte Group Chairman and CEO M.F.A. Riyas.

Sri Lanka National Hospital Senior Consultant Cardiologists Dr Ruvan Ekanayaka was the chief guest at the session while Sri Lanka National Hospital Senior Consultant Cardiologists Dr W S Santharaj and Dr P N Thenabadu were the guests of honour.

To date the Forte Group has held two CME programs, this being the third. The first was on liver transplants and Endosonography, which was organized through the Association of Gastroenterological and Digestive Endoscopy Society of Sri Lanka.

On this occasion world renowned Professor Mohammed Rela, the number one liver surgeon in the world (mentioned in the Guinness Book of Records for having performed a liver transplant on a 5 day old baby], Dr S Palaniappan, along with the founder of Global Hospitals, Dr K Ravindranath were the guest speakers.

The second CME program was on Neuro Sciences which was organized through the Association of Sri Lankan Neurologists with the guest speakers being Dr N K Venkataramana, Dr J K B C Parthiban and Dr S Dinesh Nayak.

‘Good Driver Plan’ from Continental Insurance

Continental Insurance Lanka Limited announced the launch of ‘Continental Insurance Good Driver Plan’ as one of its latest and most innovative Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives.

Continental Insurance Good Driver Plan is the first product of its kind introduced specifically to address the increasing number of road accidents in Sri Lanka.

If the vehicle owner/driver takes care to drive the vehicles insured with Continental Insurance accident free for a period of one year through this groundbreaking insurance plan, the insurance cover for the second year will be granted free.

With Sri Lanka’s general insurance business becoming increasingly competitive, Continental Insurance Lanka strives to stay ahead by introducing ethical insurance solutions such as the ‘Continental Insurance Good Driver Plan’.

This, one of a kind motor insurance plan aims at encouraging better driving practices and to reward such responsible motorists throughout the country thereby enabling every one of us to feel safe on the roads.

At a time when around 30,000 road accidents are recorded each year in Sri Lanka mainly due to reckless driving, road safety has become a subject of national concern.

Innovative motor insurance solutions, such as the ‘Continental Insurance Good Driver Plan’ is an ideal way and a first step to actively promote and support the country’s road safety policy to minimizing road accidents in Sri Lanka.

Continental Insurance commenced operations with a view to redefining the meaning of Insurance and to eventually become a driving force in taking Sri Lanka’s insurance industry to the highest levels of ethical standards.

Today, Continental Insurance has established its presence in Motor, Fire, General Accident and Marine insurance segments.

Be it a personal plan or a corporate plan, Continental Insurance is committed to provide cutting edge, personalized solutions that will reduce the risks and losses for its customers. The company is equipped with a range of novel motor and non motor insurance products, to cater to both personal and corporate needs.