Keells Food Products wins at NCE Export Awards 2018

Head of International Marketing – Consumer Foods Sector and JKH Assistant Vice President Buddhika Abayakoon receiving the award. Looking on are Keells Food Products CEO/JKH Vice President Sumudu Thanthirigoda and International Markets Market Development Manager Chaminda Sampath Thambawita

Keells Food Products (KFP) won a Silver award in the Poultry and Livestock Small category at the recently concluded NCE Export Awards 2018.

Now in its 26th year, the NCE Export Awards2018 honored top local exporters across a number of sectors. These awards were organised by the National Chamber of Exporters (NCE), Sri Lanka’s premier exporters association, which is highly respected for its high standards and professionalism. This year’s competition saw the highest number of applicants in the history of the awards fighting it out for these coveted recognitions.

KFP is the No. 1 name in sausages and processed meats in Sri Lanka. A subsidiary of John Keells Holdings PLC, KFP is the trusted household name providing the guarantee of quality and goodness that only Sri Lanka’s premier processed meat manufacturer can offer. 

The KFP product portfolio includes a range of processed meats and snacks under its popular Keells Krest brand that are superior in terms of quality and taste, with its main mission to be an invaluable part of the everyday lives of consumers. 

Encompassing chicken sausages and meatballs, as well as chicken drumsticks, mini kievs, nuggets, fish fingers and even Chinese rolls and cutlets with either chicken or fish fillings, Keells Krest is highly popular with consumers.

KFP also offers an extensive premium range under the legendary Elephant House brand. Since its launch in 1966, Elephant House has been a distinctively Sri Lankan brand, providing premium quality meat products on par with international standards. 

Beyond longtime favorites like chicken, pork and beef sausages, the Elephant House premium range comprises of cold cuts like smoked beef with black pepper, paprika mortadella, English gammon steak, roast pork with stuffing, salami and luncheon meat, raw meats consisting of a range of beef, mutton, lamb and pork cuts, a canned range that encompasses meatball curry, corned beef and corned mutton, delicious bacon, 10 varieties of ham and other meats. All of these products, and many more, are currently being offered by Elephant House to indulge the taste buds of customers. 

The pioneer in obtaining the SLS standard for processed meats, KFP produces its entire portfolio at ISO 9000- and ISO 22000-certified facilities, which are also HACCP accredited. 

“Over the past few years, our exports have seen systematic and steadfast growth across a number of international markets. This is a direct result of our best-in-class manufacturing processes and systems that continue to adhere to very high, international standards in food safety and processing. In fact, Keells Krest in particular has proven to be especially popular in the Maldives, India and the Middle East, leading to an impressive overall export growth of 35% in 2017/2018 alone,” commented Buddhika Abayakoon, Head of International Marketing – Consumer Foods Sector, and Assistant Vice President at John Keells Holdings.

Abayakoon added, “This award for excellence, received at the NCE Export Awards 2018, is undeniable proof that our existing export strategy is not just sound but also thriving. As such, our plans for future growth will, in the coming months, see us continuing to take our beloved products to many more markets worldwide. This is a direct result of the encouragement provided to us by National Chamber of Exporters in the form of their award, which indicates to us that we are on the right path.”