Prabath adds value to daily life

by Surekha GALAGODA

The present lifestyle of people is such that they are on their toes most of the time which gives them little time to prepare food be it in the morning or afternoon. Therefore, most mothers prefer to give something convenient but it has to be healthy food unlike before where eating junk food was the fashion but the latest findings show that it is not healthy.

Prabath Fonseka: Chairman and Managing Director Pictures by Sumanachandra Ariyawansa

The packing line

A healthy alternative is cereal but it is quite expensive which makes it un affordable for many Sri Lankans.

Prabath Fonseka Chairman and Managing Director of Agri Nutrition saw the opportunity in the market but he wanted to make it affordable.

Therefore, he started Cerestar to produce cereals and health foods based on local raw materials which are cheap but of high quality. Cerestar with an investment of Rs. 50mn commenced a state-of-the-art factory in Bandaragama to manufacture cereals and snacks using local raw materials such as rice, corn, soya and honey.

The mastermind behind all these innovations is Prabath Fonseka the chemist turned entrepreneur.

He said during the trial stage we wasted around 10 tons of corn but today we have benefited as we have already started to export to Maldives just two months since commercial production started.

We are planning to

export to Bangladesh and African countries in the near future.

At present Cerestar manufactures seven products which include flakes and snacks while plans are underway to launch a range of health products.

He said that he worked at seven companies including Hayleys and Prima within four years and with the experience gained at Prima, Fonseka started Agro Nutrition the company to manufacture agro supplements.

He started Cerestar in October to manufacture functional foods, food which are beyond nutrition with health benefits.

Chairman and Managing Director,Factory Manager and the Quality Manageress.

The range of health foods to be introduced will have the raw materials of green gram, soya as well as sesame seeds.

The health conscious flake based on kurakkan, rice bran and soya is rich in dietary fibre but has a low glyceric index. He said that since the ageing population is high worldwide there is a big potential for health products.

Fonseka said, that he started Agro Nutrition in 2000 to manufacture veterinary supplements.

Initially we imported these from Holland and distributed and gradually moved into manufacturing of veterinary pharmaceuticals where 40 persons including two science graduates are employed.

Agro Nutrition is the first company in Sri Lanka to export veterinary pharmaceuticals.

The company has won the bronze and silver awards and now the company has expanded to import feed ingredients and aquaculture feed to sell in the local market.