Edna Group targets Rs. 15 b turnover by 2010

by Surekha Galagoda

The Edna Group which enjoys a turnover of Rs. 6.6 bln at present plans to increase it to Rs. 15 bln by 2010 with strategic investments and partnerships.

The Group will invest Rs. 780 mln up to the end this year while plans are also under way to invest another Rs. 1 bln between 2008-2010 for refurbishments and upgrades as well.

Group Director Lal Ekanayaketold the relaunch of Edna creamy milk chocolate that they will invest Rs. 35 mln in a deposited candy line, Rs. 50 mln on a wafer biscuit plant, Rs. 25 mln to refurbish the Mawanella plant and Rs. 6 mln for the new communication solution which includes video conferencing as well.

Edna Cocoa Products (Pvt) Ltd., the latest company under the Edna Group will invest Rs. 300 mln and start production in December. Initially, we will supply cocoa for Cadbury Chocolates and later start manufacturing chocolates for Cadbury.

The Group will invest Rs. 30 mln in a new chocolate moulding line at the Mawanella factory while we will also invest Rs 5. mln in the wrapper factory as well. In addition the company will also invest Rs. 250 mln at the recycling paper mill.

During 2008-2010 the Group will invest Rs one billion on a sugar mill, build capacity at the chocolate plant and also build a fully automated tractor plant.

At present the Group has 2,994 employees but with the commissioning of the new plants they plan to improve it to 3,700 within the next few months.

Edna chocolates which enjoys the highest market share in the chocolate market in the country re-launched their range of chocolates aiming at a 60% market share in the near future. At present Edna enjoys a market share of 48%.

Manufactured by E I & M (Pvt) Ltd., Edna chocolates will be distributed throughout the country including the North and East using Dongfeng airconditioned trucks. The trucks are imported from China and we are the sole distributor of these trucks, said Deputy General Manager Sales E I & M (Pvt) Ltd. Thusitha Wijesinghe.

The packaging too has been changed to suit the international market. At present we export our products to many countries while plans are under way to expand the export operation in the coming months, he said.

Wijesinghe said that their sales force is equipped with palm tops and printers to give instant printouts to the dealers/shopowners as and when a sale is completed. The whole system is networked and we use the sales force automation system by Xont Software (Pvt) Ltd. to produce invoices.

Edna produces chocolates at two factories in Mawanella and Wedamulla while all ingredients needed to manufacture the chocolates are imported. We have been in the market for 45 years and manufacture a wide range of chocolates, he said.

In addition, the company distributes world famous Wyeth nutrients SMA and SMA Gold, Mayfair Bubble gum and their own wafer biscuits. The Edna Corporation was started in Mawanella by E. B. R. Wimaladasa in 1952. It was named using the first letters from his name and his wife Nalini.

It specialised in manufacturing confectionery and supplying engineering components to small industries. The new generation of management has restructured the company to meet the demands of the modern era.

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