SLFPA Newsletter / December 2021

THE 25TH ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF THE SRI LANKA FOOD PROCESSORS’ ASSOCIATION (SLFPA)

The event was held on Thursday, 6th of October 2022 at Auditorium of Royal Colombo Golf Club under the chairmanship of Mr. Delano Diaz the President of SLFPA. It was witnessed by members of SLFPA, higher officials of government ministries, government Departments, Industry owners, Higher managers, and other stakeholders of the SLFPA.
The event started with a few introductory words by the honorary Treasurer Mr. Amila Weerasinghe, followed by the national anthem and one minute silence to remembering the personal who strived to put up both the SLFPA and the industry up to a great height. Traditionally the meeting was called to order and read the notice of the meeting by the honorary President Mr. Delano Dias and Honorary Secretary Mr. Lasantha Rathnayake respectively. Other meeting items included the reading & adoption of the minute of the previous AGM, presenting the Annual Report 2021/22 and presenting the annual accounts.
Most importantly the AGM reelected the current office bearers for the year 2022/23. Thereof, The honorary President. Honorary Secretary, and the Honorary treasurer positions will be held by Mr. Delano Dias, Mr. Lasantha Rathnayake, and Mr. Amila Weerasinghe respectively.
The keynote speech of the event was made by SLFPA past president Mr. Dammika Gunasekara. It was a timely topic, and was about the Operation of a food related business in a challenging time. Rest of the program highlights included the introduction of the ProFood- Propack exhibition 2022 which is the flagship event of the SLFPA and the annual Six-A-Side cricket encounter 2022. The program was called a day after the thanking speech of the honorary Secretary Mr. Lasantha Rathnayake.

Office Bearers for the year 2022/23

  
PRESIDENTMR. DELANO DIASCARGILLS QUALITY FOODS LTD
PRESIDENT ELECT MR. THUSITH WIJESINGHE TRANS CONTINENTAL PACKAGING &COMMODITIES (PVT) LTD
IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT MR. NISHAN PERERA CMC ENGINEERING EXPORT GmbH SRI LANKA
1ST VICE PRESIDENT MR. DAMITHA PERERA FORBES & WALKER COMMODITY BROKERS (PVT) LTD
2ND VICE PRESIDENT MR. ARUNA SENANAYAKE C W MACKIE PLC
3RD VICE PRESIDENT MR. NADISHAN GURUGEMEAD LEE TRADING CO. (PVT) LTD
HONY. SECRETARY MR. LASANTHA RATNANAKE KELANI VALLEY CANNERIES LTD
HONY. SECRETARY MR. AMILA WEERASINNGHE NESTLE LANKA PLC
HONY. ASSISTANT SECRETARY MR. HEMANTHA BALASURIYA COCA -COLA BEVERAGES SRI LANKA LTD
HONY. ASST, TREASURER MR. SANJEEWA DE SILVA UNILEVER SRI LANKA LTD
EXCO MEMBER MR. DYLAN GONAWELA VIRGIN OIL INTERNATIONAL PVT LTD
EXCO MEMBER MR. NUWAN RODRIGO ROHAN RODRIGO REFRIGERATION & AIR CONDITIONING PVT LTD
EXCO MEMBER MR. JANAKA PERERA CEYLON COLD STORES PLC.
EXCO MEMBER MR. ROSHAN RANAWAKE CONTROL UNION INSPECTIONS (PVT) LTD
EXCO MEMBER MR. NIROSHAN DALPETHADO CDDE FONSEKA & SONS CO. LTD
EXCO MEMBER MR. JAYANGA PERERA CEYLON BISCUITS LTD
EXCO MEMBER MR. SHERAN DE ALWIS MA'S TROPICAL FOOD PROCESSING (PVT) LTD
EXCO MEMBER MR. VASANTHA CHANDRAPALA VISVAKA MARKETING PVT LTD
EXCO MEMBER MR. SAMEERA JAYATILLEKE MR. SAMEERA JAYATILLEKE
EXCO MEMBER MR. KOLITHA AMARASINGHE SGS LANKA PVT LTD

SLFPA & ECCSL sign MOU for benefits offered to SLFPA Members & Market Access Team

A MOU between Sri Lanka Food Processors Association (SLFPA) & European Chamber Of Commerce of Sri Lanka (ECCSL) was signed on the 3rd of September 2020 at the Colombo Club Meeting Room at Taj Samudra Hotel.

The MOU mainly outlined the benefits offered to the SLFPA membership & the Market Access Team (MAT) members of ECCSL by both parties. Under this MOU SLFPA agrees to share its membership details with ECCSL & ECCSL agreeing to offer its MAT membership to the SLFPA members at a nominal fee of Rs 2,500.

While this MOU is in force the SLFPA - MAT members will get opportunities to join outbound trade delegations to European countries organized by ECCSL. SLFPA – MAT members will also get opportunities to access inbound trade delegations that include companies in the Food & Agro sector.

Mr. Nishan Perera – President & Mr.Delano Dias – Vice President signed the MOU on behalf of SLFPA, while Mr. Arnold Perera - President & Mr.John Wilson – Director signed on behalf of ECCSL.

Other members present for the occasion were – Mr. Ranith Wijesinghe – Founder & Past President SLFPA , Mr Aruna Senanayake- Hony.Secretary SLFPA, Mr. Dilipan Tyagarajah – Director ECCSL & Mr. Thomas Daetwyler – Director ECCSL.

Profoods Propack Exhibition

Profoods / Pro Pack and AgBiz Exhibition, Sri Lanka's largest food, packaging and agriculture exhibition is generally held during the first weekend of August each year at the Sirimavo Bandaranaike Memorial Exhibition Hall.

Over 300 stalls are allocated for the local and foreign manufacturers and over 23,000 visitors patronize this event which is held for three days.

One of the main features is a special pavilion allocated for the University students to showcase their innovative products to more than 23,000 visitors.

Food Processors to battle at 7th annual six -a -side soft ball

Cricket encounter on 5th of November 2022

The Sri Lanka Food Processors Association (SLFPA) recently announced the approach of the 7th annual Six-A-Side Softball Cricket Tournament. The tournament will be held on Saturday, the 5th of November at the Colombo Colts Cricket Club ground, and will see 36 teams face off against each other for the ultimate prize, the SLFPA Challenge Shield.
The participating company teams represent the following categories – Processed Food, Processed Beverages, Machinery & Packaging, International Food Certification, Food Ingredients and Casual Dine-In. The tournament is a key event in the calendars of all members of Processed Food Industry, bringing professionals from various organizations together in the spirit of fun and sportsmanship. Taking the participating teams’ families into account this year.
The sponsors of this year’s tournament include Life Insurance Corporation (Lanka)Ltd (LIC) as the Platinum sponsor, Gamma Pizzakraft Lanka Private limited as the Gold sponsor, Sunquick BiBi, Elephant House, and CBL Group as Silver Sponsors, Lanka Exhibitions & Conference Services Limited (LECS) as the service partner of the event. CMC Engineering GMBH, Perera & Sons Limited, Commercial Bank PLC, and Pan Asia Bank PLC are also sponsoring the event.
Founded in 1997 as an advocacy group, the Sri Lanka Food Processors Association currently consists of over 140 member companies which include large and multinational, small and medium enterprises (SME’s) committed to the development of the country’s processed food and beverage industry. The Association consists of members from all relevant sub sectors addressing issues such as national policy and regulations, intra-regional cooperation, technology, knowledge transfer and marketing. The Association further offers leadership to the small but vibrant National Processed Food Industry. Vital to the island nation’s agro-based economy the sector, which directly employees over three hundred thousand persons while supporting over four million back stream producers.