Crysbro Archives

August 18, 2023

13 Athletes set to bring victory to Sri Lanka on International Stage

Colombo, 17 August 2023 – Crysbro conceived the vision of “Next Champ” almost a half a decade ago, but it blossomed into a full scale junior athletic strategy in 2019 with the advent of the NOC SL – CRYSBRO NEXT CHAMP initiative where programme supported twenty fledgling junior athletes who had the promise to deliver locally and internationally.

In reality, at the end of the first phase it proved that envisioning has borne the desired result and during the explanation we will dwell upon the details.

Now, following up on the success and high-potential of the previous edition, Phase II of the NOC SRI LANKA – CRYSBRO NEXT CHAMP initiative is once again shining a deserving light on Sri Lanka’s young, committed and active talent who reside across the rural regions of the country, this time with a 13-strong roster consisting of promising athletes from across the rural communities of Sri Lanka.

An empowering and futuristic initiative from inception, NOC SRI LANKA – CRYSBRO NEXT CHAMP is the result of a successful collaboration between the National Olympic Committee of Sri Lanka and Crysbro, a 100% Sri Lankan-owned agriculture-based Group of Companies that is active in rural areas in the country.

The announcement was made at the Sri Lanka Olympic House Auditorium on August 17, 2023, and was attended by key individuals representing both organisations, as well as members of the local media.

Explaining the advent of phase II, NOC Sri Lanka, President, Suresh Subramanian that “As we saw with the immense success of our first phase, we know that Sri Lanka is blessed with an abundance of very talented and resilient young people who haven’t received the support they deserve, in order to excel in their athletic interests. The NOC SRI LANKA – CRYSBRO NEXT CHAMP initiative has therefore been reignited with a second phase, and we are proud to announce that we have identified 13 gifted athletes who will receive the support they need to propel their skill and growth to bring further victory to Sri Lanka and shed light on the more deserving and capable youth potential in the country. We are grateful to once again join forces with our partners in this initiative, Crysbro, and look forward to extending this fruitful relationship with every new stage.”

An exhilarated, Crysbro Marketing Manager Amores Sellar commenting on the success of Phase I noted “The immense feeling of pride for our country and the forthcoming generations with the NOC SRI LANKA – CRYSBRO NEXT CHAMP initiative is very strong, as we championed this area of identifying and supporting the success of aspiring young athletes who were hidden in the rural areas of Sri Lanka, and that effort has grown into a national treasure. We are very thankful to the National Olympic Committee of Sri Lanka, and are excited to once again join forces and play an integral role in bringing pride, success and international recognition to our country. We wish all the very best to our new athletes and hope they dominate the international stage.”

The NOC SRI LANKA – CRYSBRO NEXT CHAMP initiative supports and nurtures the growth and development of young and aspiring sportsmen and women, providing them with food supplements, clothing, sporting gear, equipment, training, and a monthly wage to propel them towards successful sporting careers and bring pride to the nation.

Phase One of the NOC SRI LANKA – CRYSBRO NEXT CHAMP initiative discovered high-potential athletes like Nethmi Ashinsa, who earned a bronze medal at the Commonwealth Games in 2022 – the first medal for Sri Lanka in the Wrestling event at the Commonwealth Games 2022. Also, Tharushi Karunarathne brought home Gold from the 800m Women’s Sprinting event at the Asian Athletic Championship 2023.

Besides the programme also supported a number of Crysbro Scholarship holders to develop their skills overseas in a scheme outside the main programme.

LIST OF ATHLETES – PHASE II

No	Athlete	Sport	Event
1	Nethmi Ahinsa (F)	Wrestling	53kg
2	Chamodya Keshani (F)	Wrestling	55kg
3	Amaya Ranasinghe (F)	Taekwondo	42kg
4	Dumindu Abeywickrema (M)	Badminton	Single
5	RL Sachini Rajika (F)	Weightlifting	55kg
6	HA Minuwanda de Silva (M)	Weightlifting	55kg
7	MDM Premarathna (F)	Weightlifting	45kg
8	Nilupul Pehesara (M)	Track and Field	High Jump
9	Mithun Raj (M)	Track and Field	Discuss Throw, Shot Put, Hammer Throw
10	W. Thusen Silva (M)	Track and Field	Pole Vault
11	K.L.A. Akalanka (M)	Track and Field	400m H
12	Ranindi Pehansa (F)	Track and Field	High Jump
13	K.M.D. Dharshana (M)	Track and Field	400m H

April 11, 2022

5^th April 2022 – Colombo: Crysbro, Sri Lanka’s leading poultry producing giant, successfully carried out the ‘Crysbro Dealer Conference 2022’ with the participation of over 40 dealers at Hilton Colombo Residencies recently. With Crysbro celebrating its 50th Anniversary, this was a special dealer conference for the company and was held under the theme of “50 Years of Bringing People Together”.

During the glamorous event, the exceptional contributions made by the dealers to the continued success of Crysbro for the past 50 years was recognised and appreciated under the 4 sales regions of Crysbro operation. The best performing dealers were selected across three categories of Platinum, Gold and Silver based on key criteria of sales volumes, purchase quantities and efficiency levels.

The Platinum Category winner was W.H.S. Susantha, owner of S. Susantha Enterprises (Pvt) Ltd, Galle. He was presented the award by Crysbro Chairman & Managing Director Mohamed Imtiaz and Group Manager Marketing Amores Sellar and also received a 4-day/3-night holiday tour to Singapore for two persons. The Gold Category winner, M.F.M. Shiraz, owner of Shiraz Distributor, was presented with his award by Crysbro Head of Technical & Operations Thalib Imtiaz and received a 3-day/2-night holiday tour to India for two persons. M.M.M. Fahmy was picked as the Silver category winner and received the award from Crysbro Group Finance Controller M.Z.A. Latiff and the prize of a holiday tour in a star class hotel in Sri Lanka. The company recognized and rewarded all dealers present at the event by presenting plaques as well as valuable gifts.

Sharing his thoughts, Crysbro Group Manager Marketing Amores Sellar stated, “As we reach this momentous milestone in the company’s long journey, we are excited to recognize and reward our expanding family of Dealers as key stakeholders of our operations. Their commitment and hard work has ensured that our high quality products reached our consumers consistently, enabling the company to bring people together to enjoy healthy meals that are full of nutrition and freshness. We are thankful to each and every one of them for their continued support over the years and we look forward to building on our strong relationships so that we all grow together and reap the rewards.”

Crysbro was created in 1972 when its Founder had a vision to create the ultimate culinary experience in chicken for Sri Lankan consumers by providing the finest in taste and nourishment together with absolute convenience. From its humble beginnings of 100 chicks, Crysbro gradually developed its facilities by using modern technology, which helped to deliver the best quality and tastiest chicken products in the market to all Sri Lankans. Over the past 50 years, Crysbro has made significant contributions to the country by nourishing the nation, empowering the rural economy, supporting sports that bring glory to Sri Lanka and launching numerous CSR initiatives.

March 14, 2022

March 14, 2022: Representing Sri Lanka at the World Junior Championship 2021 in the 57kg weight class, 18-year old Nethmi Fernando assures that she will work hard and bring pride to her motherland in the upcoming competition, with the exponential support of the CRYSBRO-NOCSL Next Champ scholarship programme.

Nethmi is enlisted under United World Wrestling’s (UWW) Junior World Championship, and will be part of the Women’s Wrestling 57kg weight-class. The event anticipates over 500 athletes from 52 different nations, and will be hosted in Ufa, Russia, from August 16 to 22.

“The World Junior Championship was an experience that taught me a lot. When I took part in the National Level Championship, I was eliminated in the first round. Instead of taking this as a failure, I continued to train harder, learning from my mistakes, and gave it my best at the following National Championship, emerging victorious with a Gold medal,” said Fernando.

She said that while this was a learning curve in addition to her experience at the World Junior Championship, she has now identified her strengths and weaknesses and is training for the upcoming tournament.

She expressed that her coach and fellow trainees had to overcome many challenges to get to where they are now, and that “we did not have any training equipment, and my coach used to watch DIY videos on making training equipment, and we used hand-made equipment. Even to participate in these tournaments, my family had to go through severe financial challenges, going to the extent of pawning their jewellery to pay for my requirements.”

“This is why I am ever so thankful for all the aid and support provided to children like me. The Next Champ programme by Crysbro and National Olympic Committee has really enabled me to carry my own performance without burdening my family or my coach. I would like to thank them for their support as it helps develop children like us and uplifts sports in our nation as well,” she added.

Crysbro’s ‘Next Champ’ programme so far has successfully paved the path towards supporting the aspirations of, and uplifting over 150 talented male and female youth athletes from Sri Lanka towards the international sports arena.

The scholarships cover the costs of nutrition, transportation, coaching fees, accommodation, clothing and sporting gear, and medical expenses necessary for the training, grooming and development of each selected athlete. Young athletes are also given access to a combination of high-value tools and world-class mentors, including foreign training exposures.

Additionally, Crysbro, along with the NOCSL, kicked off ‘Next Olympic Hope’, an extension of the ‘Next Champ’ scholarship programme, to allow the public to support 20 young athletes selected from the NOCSL-CRYSBRO Next Champ programme, who have proven themselves through multiple wins in both the local and international arenas.

Through ‘Next Olympic Hope’, Sri Lankans living within and outside the country can make well-deserved donations to support these young and budding athletes, via www.nextolympichope.com.

Crysbro Next Champ not only recognizes and rewards young sporting talent from all corners of the country, but also grooms budding athletes from multiple sporting disciplines with guidance from experts on aspects such as proper training methods and a suitable diet. The project’s founding vision sought to bolster Crysbro’s already significant social contribution as a key pillar of the country’s rural economy, thus creating sporting opportunities and promoting the message of staying physically and mentally active.

March 11, 2022

March 10, 2022: Aspiring young athlete Ravindu Jayasundara, a noteworthy recipient of the Next Champ scholarship programme jointly initiated by Crysbro and the National Olympic Committee of Sri Lanka (NOCSL) to enable and empower aspiring young athletes, is looking forward to returning to the World Junior Games next year and bringing home a coveted medal.

Jayasundara, who represented Sri Lanka in the World Junior Games 2020, currently holds 20 Gold, three Silver and three Bronze medals, and shows no sign of slowing down anytime soon, as he unlocks his personal best at the trials for the World Junior Games.

Sharing his thoughts on the tournament, he noted that his experience was surreal, as it was the first time ever he had travelled out of the country, to represent his nation at the World Junior Games.

“It took a lot of practice and many trials, both in life and in the field, to get here. I am looking forward to returning to the World Junior Games and giving it my best to bring home a medal,” he said.

Further, he expressed his gratitude and thanked the NOCSL-Crysbro Next Champ initiative for enabling him to take part in the tournament with confidence.

“The scholarship came as a huge blessing, especially in an economically challenging time such as now, where your family has to painstakingly struggle to support and sponsor your athletic needs. Through the Next Champ programme, I’ve fully realised my potential and have the capacity to give my best. I sincerely thank the National Olympic Committee and Crysbro for their support, and hope they continue to support athletes like me through similar initiatives,” he added.

Crysbro’s ‘Next Champ’ programme so far has successfully paved the path towards supporting the aspirations of, and uplifting over 150 talented male and female youth athletes from Sri Lanka towards the international sports arena.

The programme aims to provide financial assistance to more competitive youth from underprivileged regions, who have the potential to enter flagship events such as the Youth Olympic Games 2022, Asian Games 2022, Commonwealth Games 2022, and 2023 South Asian Games. The initiative has also successfully produced a collection of athletes who secured gold and silver medals at the 2019 South Asian Games in Nepal.

The scholarships cover the costs of nutrition, transportation, coaching fees, accommodation, clothing and sporting gear, and medical expenses necessary for the training, grooming and development of each selected athlete. Young athletes are also given access to a combination of high-value tools and world-class mentors, including foreign training exposures.

Additionally, Crysbro, along with the NOCSL, kicked off ‘Next Olympic Hope’, an extension of the ‘Next Champ’ scholarship programme, to allow the public to support 20 young athletes selected from the NOCSL-CRYSBRO Next Champ programme, who have proven themselves through multiple wins in both the local and international arenas.

Through ‘Next Olympic Hope’, Sri Lankans living within and outside the country can make well-deserved donations to support these young and budding athletes, via www.nextolympichope.com.

Crysbro Next Champ not only recognizes and rewards young sporting talent from all corners of the country, but also grooms budding athletes from multiple sporting disciplines with guidance from experts on aspects such as proper training methods and a suitable diet. The project’s founding vision sought to bolster Crysbro’s already significant social contribution as a key pillar of the country’s rural economy, thus creating sporting opportunities and promoting the message of staying physically and mentally active.

March 5, 2022

March 04, 2022: Sri Lanka’s leading fully-integrated poultry producing giant Crysbro launched its ‘Praja Aruna’ initiative in 2012, with an aim to renovate and build houses for the producer’s most deserving employees who tirelessly work while residing in rural regions in the country.

Through this initiative, Crysbro is more focused and interested in facilitating a better standard of living to deserving employees who are also at a socio-economic disadvantage. The Praja Aruna initiative has helped complete over 84 renovations and 34 brand new houses which were successfully developed.

The Census and Statistics Department states that 77 percent of the country’s population resides in rural areas, and most often, economic activities in these areas are centred on the primary sector- including agriculture, livestock and fisheries.

The predominant human activities in rural areas involve the production of food, fibre and other raw materials, proving the contribution of rural residents to be significant in terms of food supply to the growing population and provision of raw materials for industries. However, despite their major contribution to FMCG supply chains in the primary stage, many rural households lack basic amenities of life, such as housing, drinking water and electricity.

“For almost a decade, our Praja Aruna initiative has carried out over 4,500 donations and directly supports 250 people in addition to our contributions to rural housing development. We are committed to ensuring that all our disadvantaged employees are facilitated with humane living conditions,” commented Crysbro Senior Marketing Manager Amores Sellar.

Crysbro’s Praja Aruna housing project is one under six pillars of the company’s approach to CSR, which focuses on enhancing and uplifting the living standards of its employees. All new houses that are built are entirely funded by Crysbro, while all home renovations conducted under the Praja Aruna project is funded by the Crysbro Employee Welfare Society.

A selection of deserving employees to benefit from the initiative is done by first calling in applications, which are then reviewed based on structured selection criteria which consider the length of tenure of each employee, performance contribution, living conditions and status of current accommodation.

March 3, 2022

3^rd March 2022 Colombo: Crysbro, Sri Lanka’s leading poultry producing giant, is celebrating 50 years as the country’s only ‘Chicken Specialist’ to ‘bringing people together’ to enjoy healthy meals that are full of nutrition and freshness.

Crysbro has always been a company that is deeply committed to following constituted protocols, in place to maintain high standards in food safety for producers. Food safety directly reflects in the quality of the final product that reaches the end-consumer and therefore it has always been at the forefront of the company’s operations, since its inception 50 years ago. Poultry products are now a common source of nutrition in the average Sri Lankan’s diet, with sufficient nutritional benefits and high protein. Crysbro’s commitment to secure and safe production and handling of poultry makes for a delectable end-product full of nutrition and freshness. The state-of-the-art molecular laboratory at its processing plant enables it to accurately monitor the health of its poultry flocks and assess any potential risks in advance, without having to compromise on operational productivity, along its production chain. All staff members involved in every step are also geared and equipped with personal protective equipment such as gloves, masks, sanitation and more.

Crysbro was created in 1972 when its Founder had a vision to create the ultimate culinary experience in chicken for Sri Lankan consumers by providing the finest in taste and nourishment together with absolute convenience. From its humble beginnings of 100 chicks, Crysbro gradually developed its facilities by using modern technology, which helped to deliver the best quality and tastiest chicken products in the market to all Sri Lankans. Over the past 50 years, Crysbro has made significant contributions to the country by nourishing the nation, empowering the rural economy, supporting sports that bring glory to Sri Lanka and launching numerous CSR initiatives.

Sustainability has always occupied a prime position on Crysbro’s list of operational priorities. Whether it is empowering partner farming communities, initiating environmentally friendly practices or facilitating the growth of its own employees, this quintessentially Lankan agricultural leader has constantly looked to set benchmarks with its Corporate Social Responsibility. This is most pronounced in its endeavours to uplift the lives of maize farmers and chicken outgrowers located across the country. Crysbro’s strong links with these farmers, who either supply the maize which is fed to the chickens or raise chickens in partnership with the company, enable livelihood creation within these remote communities.

Crysbro also plays a crucial role in catalysing economic prosperity. This is achieved through its leading role within the poultry industry, whose short- and long-term benefits to the economy are immense. The Sri Lankan poultry industry is among the country’s highest agricultural revenue generators along with its most disciplined, structured and consistent taxpayer. Over the next few years, Crysbro is slated to continue as an integral player within the industry as demand for poultry rises across the country in line with population and tourism growth alongside the escalating costs of other meat sources.

Also Crysbro is engaged in a systematic Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives include Contract Breeders and Contract Farmer programmes, distribution of school books and stationery among deserving students, renovating and maintaining wards at hospitals, renovating roads, as well as rewarding up-and-coming sportsmen and sportswomen. The company launched the grass-roots campaign ‘ Crysbro Next Champ’ in 2018 to discover and nurture developing sportsmen and women, which further strengthened it by tied-up with National Olympic Committee of Sri Lanka (NOC SL) by providing food supplements, clothing, sporting gear, equipment, training, and a monthly wage to push them in the direction of success in their sporting careers, and make our nation proud.

Crysbro strongly believes in helping the communities where it serves in, so that the people in the area can enjoy a better standard of living. By outsourcing its chicken breeding to selected families, the company is able to uplift them economically and in many other ways. In addition to providing direct employment for farmers on the company’s land, through year-round crop rotation, it also purchases grain from farming families in various regions, thereby offering a steady income and uplifting their lives. Crysbro Feed Mill Plant located at Weerabugedara, in Kurunegala, is where the harvested grains are turned into chicken feed. This is Sri Lanka’s largest and most modern livestock feed plant to date.

January 11, 2022

Sri Lanka’s leading fully-integrated poultry producing giant Crysbro is committed to its novel ‘Praja Aruna’ housing project, launched in 2012 to renovate and build houses for the company’s most deserving employees who tirelessly work while residing in rural regions.

According to the Department of Census and Statistics, 77 percent of the country’s population resides in rural areas, and most often, economic activities in these areas are centred on the primary sector, including agriculture, livestock and fisheries.

Thus, the predominant human activities in rural areas involve the production of food, fibre and other raw materials, proving the contribution of rural residents to be significant in terms of food supply to the growing population and provision of raw materials for industries. However, despite their major contribution to FMCG supply chains in the primary stage, many rural households lack basic amenities of life, such as housing, drinking water and electricity.

In that light, Crysbro, since the inception of its Praja Aruna project, has amplified its focus and interest in providing an enhanced standard of living to deserving, socio-economically disadvantaged employees. To date, the project has facilitated 84 renovations and 34 new houses which are built and completed.

“Our commitment to improving the living standards of employees who reside in rural areas comes with no hesitation, as our Praja Aruna programme has proven for almost a decade now. Having carried out over 4,500 donations and directly supporting 250 people in addition to our contributions to rural housing development, we are confident that we will not leave behind any disadvantaged employee who deserves a humane living condition,” commented Crysbro Senior Marketing Manager Amores Sellar.

Crysbro’s Praja Aruna housing project is one under six pillars of the company’s approach to CSR, which focuses on enhancing and uplifting the living standards of its employees. All new houses that are built are entirely funded by CRYSBRO, while all home renovations conducted under the Praja Aruna project is funded by the CRYSBRO Employee Welfare Society.

A selection of deserving employees to benefit from the initiative is done by first calling in applications, which are then reviewed based on structured selection criteria which consider the length of tenure of each employee, performance contribution, living conditions and status of current accommodation.

December 7, 2021

For almost 50 years now, Sri Lanka’s leading and favourite poultry producer Crysbro, while enriching the nation with its highly nutritional and fresh products, has been working towards supporting and empowering its workforce in every stage to drive the eradication of poverty faced mainly by residents in rural regions.

The producer introduced the now renowned ‘Diri Saviya’ scheme, setting the foundation for lending a helping hand to 250 farmer families in the Uva, North-Central, and Central provinces of Sri Lanka, with the setting up of their own independent poultry farms.

With the support of Crysbro, local farmers are prepared to contribute to the country’s economy, given the necessary supports of expert training, high-quality chicks from Crysbro’s own hatcheries, and quality feed produced in the in-house feed mill, to guarantee that every step is carefully attended for uniformity and quality.

“Having grown exponentially over the past few decades, Crysbro has now come to a position where the economic and social contributions by the company are now a larger requirement and expectation. This increased responsibility led us to extend the company’s ethos well beyond business as usual to include the welfare of the numerous farming communities that form an integral support structure for the entire poultry industry,” noted Crysbro Senior Marketing Manager Amores Sellar.

Inevitably, this strategy has given way to identifying the most crucial aspect of this objective: Its vital support framework for the entire local farming community.

For example, a vital aspect of its efforts within this sphere includes its close cooperation with chicken farmers. These farmers, through outgrower schemes, are contracted to raise chickens for Crysbro. The way this partnership works is Crysbro provides these farmers with the necessary chickens, veterinary support, feed and technical assistance while the outgrowers oversee the daily care of the chickens.

This mutually beneficial relationship has empowered several farming families from across the country by offering them a steady and viable source of income while allowing their farms to continue functioning independently. Crysbro’s involvement with these contract growers also significantly mitigates the financial risk these farmers would typically shoulder if they raised chickens without the company’s assistance.

Another example is Crysbro constantly and consistently assisting and fostering close ties with farmers who provide the maize required to feed the chickens that the group supplies to local grocers, supermarkets and restaurants. Last year alone, Crysbro’s subsidiary bolstered the rural economy by spending over Rs.1 billion to purchase maize from over 1,200 farmers in regions such as Monaragala, Mahiyanganaya and Anuradhapura.

In addition, Crysbro’s feed mill allows farmers to engage in direct selling. This entirely erases their reliance on a mediating middleman and ensures that they are paid after the collection of stocks.

Ultimately, Crysbro’s ties to farmers enable it to deliver on its overarching commitment of creating healthy citizens within a healthy economy.

This is represented by its leading role within the poultry industry, whose short- and long-term benefits to the economy are immense. The industry is among the country’s highest agricultural revenue generators along with its most disciplined, structured and consistent taxpayer.

About Crysbro

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.

November 25, 2021

November 24, 2021: Budding athletes enlisted under the Next Champ scholarship programme jointly initiated by Crysbro and the National Olympic Committee of Sri Lanka (NOCSL) to enable and empower aspiring young athletes, look forward to returning to the 2022 editions of the Commonwealth Games, and Asian Games, and bringing home coveted medals.

A noteworthy recipient, aspiring young athlete Ravindu Jayasundara, who represented Sri Lanka in the World Junior Athlete Championship 2021 – Kenya, currently holds 20 Gold, three Silver and three Bronze medals, and shows no sign of slowing down anytime soon.

Sharing his thoughts on the tournament, he noted that his experience was surreal, as it was the first time ever he had travelled out of the country, to represent his nation at the World Junior Games.

“It took a lot of practice and many trials, both in life and in the field, to get here. I am looking forward to returning to the World Junior Games and giving it my best to bring home a medal,” he said.

Further, he expressed his gratitude and thanked the NOCSL-Crysbro Next Champ initiative for enabling him to take part in the tournament with confidence.

“The scholarship came as a huge blessing, especially in an economically challenging time such as now, where your family has to painstakingly struggle to support and sponsor your athletic needs. Through the Next Champ programme, I’ve fully realised my potential and have the capacity to give my best. I sincerely thank the National Olympic Committee and Crysbro for their support, and hope they continue to support athletes like me through similar initiatives,” he added.

Moreover, also representing Sri Lanka at the World Junior Wrestling Championship 2021 – Russia, in the 57kg weight class, 17-year old Nethmi Fernando assures that she will work hard and bring pride to her motherland in the upcoming competition, with the exponential support of the CRYSBRO-NOCSL Next Champ scholarship programme.

“The World Junior Championship was an experience that taught me a lot. When I took part in the National Level Championship, I was eliminated in the first round. Instead of taking this as a failure, I continued to train harder, learning from my mistakes, and gave it my best at the following National Championship, emerging victorious with a Gold medal,” said Fernando.

She said that while this was a learning curve in addition to her experience at the World Junior Championship, she has now identified her strengths and weaknesses and is training for the upcoming tournament.

She expressed that her coach and fellow trainees had to overcome many challenges to get to where they are now, and that “we did not have any training equipment, and my coach used to watch DIY videos on making training equipment, and we used hand-made equipment. Even to participate in these tournaments, my family had to go through severe financial challenges, going to the extent of pawning their jewellery to pay for my requirements.”

“This is why I am ever so thankful for all the aid and support provided to children like me. The Next Champ programme by Crysbro and National Olympic Committee has really enabled me to carry my own performance without burdening my family or my coach. I would like to thank them for their support as it helps develop children like us and uplifts sports in our nation as well,” she added.

Additionally, confident and young athlete Tharushi Karunarathna commits to hard work and bringing pride to Sri Lanka by achieving victory at the upcoming World Junior Games. She represented Sri Lanka at the World Junior Athlete Championship 2021 – Kenya, as a runner in the 400m relay team.

She mentioned that despite the many obstacles, she had unleashed her full potential and marked her personal best at the trials for the World Junior Games.

“The pandemic has thrown unexpected challenges our way, but I continued to work hard and overcome these obstacles and give my best because the opportunity was rare and significant. I believe that with the support of my coach, family and the many supportive hands, I was able to give it my all,” she said.

Karunarathna further noted that the invaluable exposure which enabled her to observe her fellow peers from around the globe shed light on unique training methods and techniques. She was able to realise that in addition to athletic tactics, physical build-up and nutrient-levels can give a competitive advantage.

“This is quite important as my local athletes and I have to work on building on these aspects as well,” she said.

“The scholarship was very helpful in multiple ways, and allowed me to give my best shot at the tournament. The expenses were quite high, given that I am not from Colombo and had to frequently travel to and from Colombo for training and tournaments. Apart from travelling, I also had some requirements for athlete-gear, including spike shoes which I purchased through the scholarship fund,” she said.

Crysbro’s ‘Next Champ’ programme so far has successfully paved the path towards supporting the aspirations of, and uplifting over 150 talented male and female youth athletes from Sri Lanka towards the international sports arena.

The programme aims to provide financial assistance to more competitive youth from underprivileged regions, who have the potential to enter flagship events such as the Asian Games 2022, Commonwealth Games 2022, and 2022 Asian Youth Games. The initiative has also successfully produced a collection of athletes who secured gold and silver medals at the 2019 South Asian Games in Nepal.

The scholarships cover the costs of nutrition, transportation, coaching fees, accommodation, clothing and sporting gear, and medical expenses necessary for the training, grooming and development of each selected athlete. Young athletes are also given access to a combination of high-value tools and world-class mentors, including foreign training exposures.

Additionally, Crysbro, along with the NOCSL, kicked off ‘Next Olympic Hope’, an extension of the ‘Next Champ’ scholarship programme, to allow the public to support 20 young athletes selected from the NOCSL-CRYSBRO Next Champ programme, who have proven themselves through multiple wins in both the local and international arenas.

Through ‘Next Olympic Hope’, Sri Lankans living within and outside the country can make well-deserved donations to support these young and budding athletes, via www.nextolympichope.com.

Crysbro Next Champ not only recognizes and rewards young sporting talent from all corners of the country, but also grooms budding athletes from multiple sporting disciplines with guidance from experts on aspects such as proper training methods and a suitable diet. The project’s founding vision sought to bolster Crysbro’s already significant social contribution as a key pillar of the country’s rural economy, thus creating sporting opportunities and promoting the message of staying physically and mentally active.

November 23, 2021

November 23, 2021: Leading Sri Lankan poultry producing giant Crysbro is deeply committed to following constituted protocols, in place to maintain high standards in food safety for producers.

The importance of food safety is undisputed, as it is directly reflected in the quality of the final product that reaches the end-consumer. For large-scale producers like Crysbro, food safety has always been at the forefront of their attention, since its inception.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), sufficient access to safe and nutritious food is key to sustaining life and promoting good health. The consumption of unsafe food containing harmful bacteria, viruses, parasites or chemical substances causes over 200 diseases, from diarrhoea to cancer.

“The issues in poorly managing poultry products are universally recognised, and Crysbro is well-known and beloved for its world-class dedication to maintaining stringent food safety protocols, while retaining the full nutritional value and freshness of the products,” noted Crysbro Senior Marketing Manager Amores Sellar.

Poultry products are now a common source of nutrition in the average Sri Lankan’s diet, with sufficient nutritional benefits and high protein. Crysbro’s commitment to secure and safe production and handling of poultry makes for a compelling and delectable end-product fuelled with nutrition and freshness.

Crysbro has identified how to enrich and heighten the nutritional value- the maize used to feed the chickens is particularly rich in pro-vitamin A carotenoids, which are converted into Vitamin A once they enter the human digestive system. Vitamin A is vital for the body’s processes of growth, development and immunity.

In addition, Crysbro introduced a state-of-the-art molecular laboratory facility to its processing plant, to use the PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) system to detect common foodborne pathogens such as salmonella, Listeria and Campylobacter, which are three extremely common types of bacteria which cause food poisoning.

In terms of food safety, this new facility has enabled Crysbro to accurately monitor the health of its poultry flocks and assess any potential risks in advance, without having to compromise on operational productivity, along its production chain. The company is also capable of screening the potential presence of foodborne pathogens in processed meat in conjunction with ongoing microbiological testing.

This robust technology guarantees the rapid screening of all potential biological contaminants in the processed chicken, distributed among consumers. All of the staff members involved in every step are also geared and equipped with personal protective equipment such as gloves, masks, sanitation and more.

By introducing new technology and safety measures into their processes, Crysbro is actively addressing the rising demand for poultry meat and eggs in Sri Lanka while greatly minimising risk to public health.

The molecular laboratory facility is equipped with ELISA testing procedures to evaluate the efficacy of vaccines and vaccination procedures adopted in farms to evaluate the safety of the flocks against common diseases.

Crysbro’s commitment to food safety is beyond significant, and the poultry giant follows all hygiene and biosecurity standards, leaving no room for health and food safety discrepancies in the overall operations front, as well as supply chain, from hatcheries, broiler farms, to production, processing and transportation.

Crysbro will further continue to invest in world-class technology to expedite the process of raising and maintaining standards in poultry production in Sri Lanka.

NOC SRI LANKA – CRYSBRO NEXT CHAMP” initiates Phase II

Crysbro salutes top performers at 50th Anniversary Dealer Conference

CRYSBRO-NOCSL Next Champ’s Nethmi Fernando set to dominate at upcoming UWW Junior World Championship

CRYSBRO-NOCSL Next Champ’s Ravindu Jayasundara anticipates win at upcoming World Junior Games

Crysbro’s Praja Aruna ups living standards for deserving employees

Crysbro marks 50th Anniversary by highlighting commitment to quality and freshness

Elevating rural living standards through Crysbro’s Praja Aruna

Eradicating rural poverty through jobs in poultry production

CRYSBRO-NOCSL Next Champ’s athletes confident for upcoming int’l games in 2022

Producing Sri Lanka’s safest and nutrition-filled poultry: Crysbro