LAUGFS Supermarkets celebrates 20 years of revolutionising supermarket culture

LAUGFS Supermarkets Ltd. began operations on 31 October 2000, with its first outlet opening in Havelock Town and it celebrates its 20th year anniversary this October 2020. Today the supermarket chain has expanded to 38 outlets with 36 of them located in the Western Province and two outlets located in Kurunegala and Chilaw. 

The chain which was initially named ‘Sun-Up’, was rebranded as ‘LAUGFS Supermarkets’ in 2011. The re-branding follows a two-tier model with LAUGFS Super and LAUGFS SuperMart being the flagship brands. LAUGFS Super offers a larger scale store with an even wider range of products for customers to choose from and LAUGFS SuperMart provides customers with a compact, convenient and easily accessible selection of daily necessities. 

From its inception, the organisation operated with innovation at its core; the Havelock Town outlet was the first supermarket in Sri Lanka to introduce the 24-hour retailing concept which has now extended to seven outlets located in Wellawatte, Rajagiriya, Maharagama, Kandana, Negombo 2, Kolonnawa and Pelawatte. Furthermore, LAUGFS Supermarkets was also the first supermarket brand in Sri Lanka to operate alongside their own LAUGFS brand of fuel stations, providing customers with additional shopping convenience. Years of relentless dedication in pursuit of driving innovation in retail and providing customers with an expedient shopping experience has enabled the chain to serve over 1,000,000 shoppers monthly.

Adding to its long list of milestones, the organisation began operations of Medz pharmacy, its very own pharmacy chain, across 19 outlets. At present it caters to over 35,000 monthly customers with a wide range of over 2,500 products. LAUGFS Supermarkets also owns and operates Crimson Bakeries, its own brand of bakeries producing fresh baked goods. Crimson products are featured across all 38 outlets, with two standalone Crimson bakery outlets located in Bellanthara and Nedimala. In addition to fresh produce, groceries and everyday necessities, the supermarkets also facilitate the payment of utility bills such as water, electricity, e-channelling, insurance and mobile bills. LAUGFS Supermarkets has its own loyalty card program; the ‘LAUGFS One’ loyalty card, which allows shoppers to earn rewards for their purchases and enjoy exclusive offers. 

Commenting on the occasion of its 20th anniversary, LAUGFS Supermarkets Ltd. Chief Executive Officer Lilanthi Herath said, “We began operations with the goal of bringing our shoppers, a fresh and friendly experience with every visit they make to a LAUGFS Supermarket. We have continued to consistently enhance this objective over the last 20 years. In light of this milestone, we celebrate our loyal customers who place their trust in us every day. They continue to be the central focus of our pursuit for constant improvement. As we look back at 20 years of growth, we would like to sincerely thank our customers and we are highly optimistic of the prospects of LAUGFS Supermarkets in the future of Sri Lankan retailing. We plan to continue expanding for years to come as we bring innovation, convenience and superior service to the increasing number of Sri Lankan households.” 

During the initial lockdown in March owing to onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, LAUGFS Supermarkets rose to the occasion by activating its online ordering and delivery systems to meet the needs of its customers. While facing many challenges during this period, the organisation sustained smooth and timely deliveries while maintaining optimal health and safety precautions. With the current spread of the second wave of infections, the organisation has continued to amplify and bolster its online and mobile ordering systems to ensure that customers are able to reliably order their groceries with maximum safety and minimal hassle. 

Despite the economic and business volatility in 2020, LAUGFS Supermarkets opened its 38th outlet in the University Hospital, Kotelawala Defence University to cater to Sri Lanka’s defence forces as well as medical personnel, who selflessly fight on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic. The retail chain has plans to consistently grow its outlets within the Colombo district and the suburbs.

LAUGFS Supermarkets is a subsidiary of LAUGFS Holdings Ltd. LAUGFS Holdings Ltd. is one of the largest diversified business conglomerates and a trusted and well-loved home-grown business in Sri Lanka. Founded in 1995, LAUGFS today has expanded across 20 industries in Sri Lanka and overseas, establishing a strong presence as a leader and pioneer in the power and energy, retail, industrial, services, leisure and logistics sectors. With 3,500 employees and an annual turnover exceeding Rs. 60 billion, LAUGFS continues to expand and empower millions as a trusted Sri Lankan brand.