RIOCOCO wins three STEVIE Awards in International Business Awards 2019

RIOCOCO, one of the leading exporters of coir husk-based growing medium, was honoured with three STEVIE Awards at the recently concluded 16th Annual International Business Awards, held in Vienna, Austria on 19 October. Ceyhinz Link International Inc. and RIOCOCO Lanka Ltd. CEO Susantha Shan Halamba was awarded the coveted STEVIE Golden Award, as Executive of the Year (Manufacturing Category) for 2019. Halamba sets a record as the first Sri Lankan to be recognized twice with this prestigious international business Gold award, in 2015 and 2019. He is also the first Sri Lankan to win two Gold awards in the same category. Halamba also won the Bronze STEVIE Award for Entrepreneur of the Year, and Ceyhinz Link International Inc/RIOCOCO Lanka Ltd. was named the winner of the Bronze STEVIE Award for Company of the Year in the Manufacturing category. STEVIE Awards CEO and Organizing Committee President Michael Galliher and British actor and voiceover artist Simon Relph presented the award to Halamba and his company.

Halamba co-founded RIOCOCO Lanka Ltd., which manufactures and distributes 100% organic coconut coir based growing medium to greenhouses, vertical farming, and urban agricultural farms over 52 countries around the world. He internationalized the Sri Lankan coconut husk and gave it a value, making it a part of the world food and medicine chain. “Even though we saw our success, we are continuously innovative and move forward to stay in the lead. I am always looking for innovation, which gives us the competitive advantage in the international marketplace,” said Halamba. 

The 2019 IBAs received entries from organizations in 74 nations and territories. A record total of more than 4,000 nominations from organizations of all sizes and in virtually every industry were submitted this year for consideration in a wide range of categories. STEVIE Awards International Business competitions received more than 4,000 nominations each year from organizations in more than 70 nations. Sponsors of STEVIE Awards programs include many leading B2B marketers, publishers, and government institutions. The corporate headquarters of the STEVIE Awards is based in Fairfax, Virginia, USA.