Silvermill Group celebrates 100 years of coconut exports

Distribution of coconut seedlings

• An industry leader’s drive to take Sri Lankan coconut exports to $ 1 b and beyond

Founder Anthony Silva

Silvermill Group Chairman Amal Cabraal

Silvermill Group CEO Suresh Silva

The Silvermill story

This Sri Lankan success story has its roots in the early 1900s when Anthony Silva, a budding young entrepreneur set foot in the small rural village of Giriulla, located in the heart of Sri Lanka’s coconut growing region. 

A pioneer at heart, he tried his hand at a number of ventures with a dream of creating his own legacy of excellence. He struck gold, when he foresaw the opportunity in the growing demand overseas for desiccated coconut and started Giriulla Desiccating Mills in 1920. 

Sourcing the main raw material coconuts from nearby plantations and employing people from the village, Giriulla Mills became an essential part of the surrounding economy and Anthony Silva a much respected and valued member of the community. The business flourished and Giriulla Mills grew its operations across multiple sites. Thus, began the 100-year journey of the Silvermill Group. 

With his two sons Bertram and Roland Silva joining the growing business, S.A. Silva & Sons was formed, paving the way for a thriving business for the generations to come. One hundred years on, with the 3rd generation and now even the fourth generation of Silva’s joining the much-expanded business, it is today known as the Silvermill Group, a professionally managed, family owned business. 

A top global player in coconut products

Celebrating 100 years of Sri Lankan exports, Silvermill Group is one of the largest value-added exporters of coconut products from Sri Lanka, with an annual turnover of over $ 100 million. Having won the trust of global brands across 50 countries, today Silvermill Group is recognised as a top global player in coconut products. The group’s secret to success lies in its dedication to value-addition, innovation, quality, and enduring partnerships with not only customers, but employees, suppliers, stakeholders and the community. 

Over the last 100 years, Silvermill has been a pioneer in introducing many new technologies and innovations to the Sri Lankan coconut industry:

1960s – Commenced the trials of the famous Mars ‘Bounty Bar’ at Giriulla Mills.

1980s – Silvermill became the first desiccated coconut facility in Sri Lanka to introduce an in-house laboratory and install the first modernized continuous drying desiccated coconut plant in Sri Lanka, for which it obtained ‘Pioneering Status’ from the Government of Sri Lanka.

1990s – Silvermill was the first Sri Lankan manufacturer to introduce Toasted Coconut to international markets. 

2012 – Silvermill became the first Sri Lankan company to export Coconut Water in ready-to-drink Tetra Packs to Vita Coco, the global market leader in coconut water, which enabled the conversion of a waste stream to derive valuable export revenue for the country.

Growth through value addition

Through its efforts to reduce wastage and sustainably value-add to all parts of a coconut, the Group currently operates in four diverse sectors of food ingredients, beverages and liquids, power and energy, and industrial solutions. 

Over the years, Silvermill has continuously worked towards uplifting the Sri Lankan coconut industry: 

In the 1990s Silvermill, together with other DC Millers in Sri Lanka, played a pivotal role in setting up the Mahaweli Coconut Plantations, the first irrigated coconut plantation in the country, during a time where the coconut crop was dwindling due to urbanisation. 

Its daily operations supports the livelihoods of over 20,000 coconut farmer families.

The Silvermill Foundation has thus far positively impacted over 3,000 farmer families through its Agriculture & Livelihood Development Program, with the distribution of over 15,000 coconut seedlings and over 300 bee boxes with bee colonies to aid better pollination.

Over 1,300 farmer families have also benefitted through the composting programs, field demonstration plots and trainings conducted to help coconut farmers derive maximum value from their coconut land, through the introduction of mixed cropping and other techniques to improve their productivity and increase household income. 

As an agribusiness it believes in the need for positive climate action. Thus far, through the Silvermill Foundation a number of soil and water conservation programs benefitting over 1,500 farmers families have been implemented. Additionally, it has also implemented sustainable practices at its own operations, including biomass as a sustainable energy source, roof top solar, water conservation, rainwater harvesting, etc. 

Furthermore, it has already taken action to develop and promote coconut growing in non-traditional areas in the north and east. 

Through its ‘Home Gardening Program’ the Silvermill Foundation has also been instrumental in promoting self-sufficiency in coconut given that coconut contributes significantly to household spends on food items.

The many awards won over the years are a testament to the superior quality of its products and the trust and faith customers around the world have placed in the Silvermill Group.

The group has thus far won eight Presidential awards for its contribution to exports and generation of foreign exchange revenue to the country.  

Dedication to quality, value addition and innovation 

In the 1990s, Silvermill became the first Sri Lankan desiccated coconut manufacturer to set up a Research & Development (R&D) department to drive innovation. As a result of its dedication to R&D to continuously value add, it has introduced over 100 new products and innovations to date for the export market. 

Silvermill Group CEO Suresh Silva said: “Our continued success can be attributed to our passion to continuously innovate and value add. Today Silvermill offers an extensive value-added range of export products from Sri Lanka, certified to the highest level of international food safety and quality standards.”

With the knowledge and expertise of developing high quality products for international customers, Silvermill has been successful in introducing a range of products for the Sri Lankan consumer and local food industry.

Silvermill was the first to introduce liquid coconut cream and coconut milk in tetra packs to the local market. Silvermill Premium Coconut Cream and Silvermill Real Coconut Milk were launched as high quality, convenient and hygienic solutions to reduce coconut wastage, as about 70% of the coconuts produced in Sri Lanka are used for domestic consumption, of which about 40% of a coconut is wasted when coconut milk is extracted at home in the traditional manner. 

With the popularity of king coconut water or ‘thambili’ in Sri Lanka and the many health benefits associated with it, Silvermill has also introduced KiCO King Coconut Water as a ready-to-drink refreshing beverage that can be chilled and enjoyed conveniently anytime and anywhere. 

Its newest product, Silvermill Real Coconut Sambol (with no added flavours or MSG), is a quick and convenient solution for the traditional ‘pol sambol’ loved by Sri Lankans. 

“As Silvermill celebrates its 100th year, we will strengthen our resolve to keep growing the business and contribute towards taking Sri Lankan coconut exports to a billion dollars and beyond. Our relentless pursuit to realise Silvermill’s vision ‘to be the most admired agribusiness group in Sri Lanka by partnering growers to provide sustainable innovative solutions to global brands’, will guide and spur our efforts,” added Silvermill Group Chairman Amal Cabraal. 

The group is thankful to its committed and passionate team of over 2,000 employees and its long-standing customers and suppliers. Silvermill is also thankful to all the Government authorities and other external stakeholders who continue to support it and looks forward to receiving their continued support in the journey forward.