In a bid to raise awareness over the issues of food security and malnutrition, pioneering Sri Lankan poultry producer Crysbro marked this year’s World Food Day on 16 October by organising a fruit expo near its Ethgala, Gampola processing plant.
All the fruits on display were grown by Crysbro employees, which is a practice initiated and encouraged by the company’s Human Resources Department. The policy reflects Crysbro’s keen understanding of its duty as a responsible Sri Lankan food producer to highlight the message of agricultural conservation, underscore the importance of fruits to a balanced diet and promote the value of home-grown Sri Lankan produce.
The event also saw a dose of healthy competition, as 50 employees were divided into seven teams to showcase the best selection of fruits. Each stall displayed quite a diverse collection, with many rare varieties that are only specific to particular regions on show. Winners across the contest’s multiple categories were presented with generous cash prizes.
Group HR and Administration Manager Ranjana Mahindasiri, Central Province Senior Manager Ravi Udovita and Business Unit, Food Processing and Value Additions Head Kithsiri Dissanayake were the event’s guests of honour.
“We live in a time where across the world there are alarming food consumption trends. While certain segments of society eat enough unhealthy food to end up sick and obese, a vast number of people do not receive the nutrition their body requires and constantly contend with hunger. As a company which provides high-quality chicken, which is the country’s cheapest source of protein, we believe it is our professional and social duty to ensure food security,” said Crysbro Senior Marketing Manager Amores Sellar.
“However, our World Food Day celebration did not just create awareness of these vital social issues but also brought great enjoyment and camaraderie to everyone involved.”
Established in 1972 with just 100 chicks and a deep desire to be a market leader in quality and innovation, Crysbro has emerged as Sri Lanka’s first and most sophisticated, fully vertically-integrated poultry producer. Its operations span grandparent and parent farms, hatcheries, broiler farms and feed mills. This thriving ‘Farm-to-Fork’ concept has formed the core of its success. In turn, it has yielded unprecedented benefit for numerous stakeholders including direct and indirect employees, outgrowers, domestic maize farmers and ultimately Sri Lankan consumers.
