Cecil gets SLS status

CBL Natural Foods (Pvt) Ltd (CBLNF), the fruit and beverage sector of Ceylon Biscuits, the local food conglomerate received SLS accreditation for their Ready-to-serve fruit drink brand 'Cecil'.

M.S.A. Jayasuriya - SLSI, Director General SLSI - Dr. L.N. Senaweera, MD - CBL Natural Foods - Annes Junaid, Director - N. Ruwanpathirana and Quality Assurance Manager Ms. S. Fonseka.

The product is sold in multiple variants such as mixed fruit, woodapple, mango, lime, pine-passion in the domestic market.

This segment is expected to grow at a higher rate with the demand for carbonated drinks on the decline due to consumers looking for healthier food products.

CBLNF shifted its fruit processing operation from Avissawella to Minuwangoda last year to expand its operations.

The purpose of establishing a modern and high capacity processing unit is to meet growth needs in organic processed fruits in the export and to meet worldwide demand for natural fruit juices and also cater to the growing natural fruit drink market in Sri Lanka.

The Company, a BOI approved factory is mainly geared for processing fruits to the export market.

CBL Natural Foods currently exports mango, pineapple and papaya in cans, glass jars and dried fruits.

It has established itself as a reliable supplier of 'organic' fruit products. Its clients are mainly EU countries, UK, US, Japan, NZ and Australia.Managing Director Annes Junaid said: "Pineapple and Mango cans or jars which you may buy from the supermarkets abroad may have been manufactured in our factory'.

There are many other new products in the pipe line which we are jointly developing with our foreign partners", he said.