Serendib Flour Mills Archives

March 19, 2021

18^th March 2021, Colombo: Serendib Flour Mills, one of the most trusted wheat flour product suppliers in Sri Lanka, celebrates World Flour Day 2021 by felicitating their “round-the-clock” workforce who have been working tirelessly since the first lockdown triggered by the pandemic to ensure a steady supply of flour to all of Sri Lanka.

On 20^th March, World Flour Day 2021 celebrates all types of professionals associated with flour under the motto “White Gold: A tribute to flour heroes all over the world”. This day is dedicated to one of the most important foods of humankind, a staple that has nourished people every day for millennia, contributing to health, well-being and prosperity. Wheat is known for its rich nutritional content and is packed with essential vitamins and minerals. For centuries, foods made from wheat grain have helped to support the health, nourishment and well-being of people, enabling them to fight lifestyle diseases and live wholesome and productive lives. Wheat is rich in minerals such as salts, calcium, magnesium, vitamin B and vitamin E and these nutrients help to combat gastrointestinal conditions, skin diseases and even respiratory illnesses. Fortified wheat flour products also contain additional essential nutrients such as iron and folic acid that can help the growth and development of children and also ensure the well-being of expecting mothers.

From the onset of the pandemic Serendib Flour Mills ensured that the adverse situation in the country did not negatively impact the operations of the mill which ran around the clock. The entire SFM workforce, consisting of mill/factory workers as well as distributors, sales, distribution and technical staff, worked determinedly while also adhering to strict COVID-19 health guidelines. During the early days of the pandemic, SFM was awarded the SLS 1672:2020 “COVID-19 Safety Management Systems” certification from the Sri Lanka Standards Institution (SLSI) for its mill facility further confirming the company’s commitment towards maintaining the highest standard of quality and safety. As a result of such collective efforts, the company was able to continue to offer a wide range of wheat flour products, including its flagship brand 7 Star Flour, throughout the lockdown period, all of which cater to diverse dietary preferences and help in nourishing the nation.

As Serendib Flour Mills celebrates the second World Flour Day, it glances back at the challenging year behind it in order to recognise and appreciate the hard work and commitment demonstrated by all its employees during the pandemic. The entire team worked hard around the clock and was determined to ensure that Serendib flour was available around the country to nourish the nation. This resulted in families around Sri Lanka having enough flour to turn to home baking to meet their food requirements and even learn new baking skills during the lockdown.

Serendib Flour Mills (SFM) is a BOI approved Flagship project funded by a renowned UAE investor, the Al Ghurair. SFM provides high quality, nutritious and a wide variety of wheat flour products to bakers, eateries, hotels, households, industries and consumers across Sri Lanka. Operating from a state-of-the-art milling facility at the Colombo Port, SFM adheres to the highest standards of quality and safety. The company has received ISO 9001:2015, ISO 14001:2015, ISO 22000:2005, FSSC 22000, and BS OSHAS 18001:2007 certifications and also makes continuous efforts to minimize its impact on the environment by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and waste whilst championing energy and water conservation throughout its operations.

August 5, 2020

Serendib Flour Mills, one of the most trusted wheat flour product suppliers in Sri Lanka, has been awarded the SLS 1672:2020 “COVID-19 Safety Management Systems” certification from the Sri Lanka Standards Institution (SLSI) for its mill facility further confirming the company’s commitment towards maintaining the highest standard of quality and safety.

The independent third party certification reiterates Serendib Flour Mills’ position as a socially responsible organisation and enables the company to demonstrate its ability and commitment towards providing safety from COVID-19 through its operations, including products and services as well as outsourced activities and ensures the safety of all staff and visitors. The risk management process provides adequate controls against the spreading of COVID-19 to employees their families, community and the country helping to enhance the staff confidence and morale which invariably leads to minimum labour turnover. The company has been able to integrate the COVID-19 safety management system seamlessly with its business processes, overall management structure and existing management systems. The certification also ensures stakeholder confidence to support scaling up of the business operations. While ensuring to maintain the required high safety standards, the company also intends to improve the COVID-19 Safety Management System continually by implementing new modifications to the current system in order to meet future demand.

As the COVID-19 pandemic unfolded in the country back in March, Serendib Flour Mills ensured that the adverse situation in the country did not negatively impact the operations of the mills which have been running around the clock and manned by the customary workforce while also maintaining a COVID-19 risk-free environment for all employees. As a result, the company was able to continue to offer a wide range of 7 Star branded wheat flour products, throughout the lockdown period, all of which cater to diverse dietary preferences and helps in nourishing the nation.

Sharing her opinion about the certification, Hemani Gunatilake – Head of Quality Assurance of Serendib Flour Mills stated, “We have been in operations for the past 12 years and as always our primary concern is the wellbeing of our customers and consumers. Our Mission is to provide a high quality product and thereby improve the nourishment of all Sri Lankans, which is how our promise of ‘nourishing the nation’ came into being. Our team worked tirelessly to lay the groundwork to obtain this certification and we were able to successfully get it within a very short period of just 3 weeks. We have worked closely with SLSI in the past and in fact, our 7 Star Flour was the 1st Wheat four in the country to get the prestigious SLS certification.”

Operating from a state-of-the-art milling facility at the Colombo Port, Serendib Flour Mills provides a wide variety of wheat flour products to bakers, eateries, hotels, households, industries and consumers across Sri Lanka. The company uses only premium wheat grains from the best wheat producing countries in the world. The world-class team at Serendib Flour Mills utilizes the latest advancements in Buhler technology to deliver products that are fresh, wholesome and rich in nutritional goodness.

Serendib Flour Mills (Pvt) Ltd. is a BOI approved Flagship project funded by a renowned UAE investor, the Al Ghurair. The company provides high quality, nutritious and a wide variety of wheat flour products to bakers, eateries, hotels, households, industries and consumers across Sri Lanka. Operating from a state-of-the-art milling facility at the Colombo Port, Serendib Flour Mills adheres to the highest standards of quality and safety. The company has received ISO 9001:2015, ISO 14001:2015, ISO 22000:2005, FSSC 22000, BS OSHAS 18001:2007 certifications and also makes continuous efforts to minimize its impact on the environment by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and waste whilst championing energy and water conservation throughout its operations.

March 27, 2020

While Sri Lanka is in the midst of a battle to get the COVID-19 disease under control, Serendib Flour Mills, one of the most trusted wheat flour suppliers in Sri Lanka, has assured the general public of its commitment to ensure that there are ample stocks of wheat flour available in the market

The company has confirmed that the current situation in the country has not adversely affected the operations of the company’s production which is running around the clock and manned by the customary workforce. As a result, the company is able to continue to offer its flagship 7 Star range of wheat flour products which caters to a diverse dietary preferences and assist in its endeavour to nourish the nation

Kalinga Wijesekera – Head of Marketing & Communications of SFML stated, “These are testing times not only for Sri Lanka but the whole world. Despite the difficult circumstances, I am happy to announce that Serendib Flour Mills is running smoothly at the state-of-the-art mill situated at the Colombo port. We are operational day and night with our workforce working hard as always to provide the nation with our much-loved flour.” He stressed the importance of sacrificing for the greater good of the country adding, “We must all act responsibly in the face of this threat. It’s important to practice social distancing by staying indoors in order to flatten the corona virus curve. We must stay positive and not get distracted by rumours. Remaining at home at all times, practising good hygiene and eating healthy, nourishing food to boost the immune system are the best things we can do at this time.”

March 7, 2018

Monday, 07^th March 2018, Colombo: Serendib Flour Mills has been a leader and innovator in the wheat flour industry for the last ten years, and has played a pioneering role in introducing a range of versatile flour products to consumers in Sri Lanka. Recently, SFML introduced yet another innovation to its portfolio, by launching authentic 7 Star Chakki Atta Flour in the local market. This new flour variant offers original taste, a tantalizing aroma and is the ideal ingredient for preparing a range of Indian delicacies such as chapattis, pooris and naans.

Available in 1kg and 5kg formats, the new Chakki Atta Flour is available for consumers, small-scale retailers, eateries, hotels and wholesale buyers to purchase. This flour is also available in all supermarkets and A grade grocery stores island-wide. SFML’s 7 Star Chakki Atta Flour is not only tasty, it’s is also extremely nutritious due to its high fibre content, which is known to aid digestive health. It is also low in salt, fat and sugar, making it a healthier wheat flour option for daily consumption. Chakki Atta Flour also absorbs water more easily, making it extremely hassle free to knead and roll into dough. This enables you to prepare tasty, light and delicious tasting traditional staples. The new flour variety is available in an attractive new packaging, which features intricate purple and orange, ethnically inspired designs.

Commenting on the new addition to the 7 Star range, Mohmamed Riyal – Chief Executive Officer, Serendib Flour Mills said: “We are pleased to introduce yet another flour variant to our 7 Star portfolio. Serendib Flour Mills has always played a pioneering role in introducing high quality flours to both local and international markets. Chakki Atta Flour meets the specific dietary requirements of Sri Lankans across the nation, and is a healthy and tasty flour blend that can be used to make a wide range of foods that are enjoyed in homes and establishments across all corners of the island. We remain committed to our on-going efforts to provide our consumers, as well as our retail and B2B customers with optimal choice when it comes to our wheat flour range, and we hope that our diverse portfolio of products, will provide them with nutritious and wholesome flour options that meet their day-to-day and business needs.”

Serendib Flour Mills is among the leading flour mills in Sri Lanka and is a joint venture between Al Ghurair Foods (AGF) and Emirates Trading Agency (ETA). The company’s 7 Star brand of flour has been nourishing the nation for nine years and embodies purity, innovation, quality, freshness, expertise, service and trust. Serendib Flour Mills is committed to becoming the number one producer of wheat flour in Sri Lanka and the preferred flour supplier in international markets.

January 21, 2018

Wednesday 17^th January 2018, Colombo: One of the leading flour mills in Sri Lanka, Serendib Flour Mills, proudly welcomes New CEO Mohamed Riyal at the helm of the company to spearhead its growth and expansion plans as it celebrates its glorious 10th anniversary in 2018. A trailblazing business strategist, the new CEO is expected to inject a renewed sense of purpose to achieve the company’s ambitious goals and expansion plans for the future. A joint venture between UAE’s Al Ghurair Foods (AGF) and Emirates Trading Agency (ETA), Serendib’s ‘7 Star’ brand of flour has been nourishing the nation for 9 years and embodies purity, innovation, quality, freshness, expertise, service and trust.

An innovative leader; Mohamed Riyal has worked in various positions in a variety of business segments in countries such as the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Africa and Germany. His notable contributions include establishing the brand name of Audi and Volkswagon in the Middle East region and trebling the market share within a period of two years. He also worked as a Group Planning and Budgeting Manager for Al Ghurair Investments (the holding company of the largest Group of Companies in U.A.E.), where his contribution was immense in setting up group reporting and providing business analysis and plans to turnaround various business units of the Group.

Thereafter in 2010, Riyal relocated to Sri Lanka to take up the position as the Chief Financial Officer at Serendib Flour Mills, where he played a pivotal role in stabilizing the business and achieving the profitability targets of the investors. Riyal is a Fellow Member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Sri Lanka, Member of the Certified Management Accountants and possess an MBA in Business Strategy from the University of Derby, United Kingdom.

Commenting on his appointment, the incoming CEO of Serendib Flour Mills, Mohamed Riyal, said, “I am humbled to be appointed CEO of the company and look forward to go for further expansion of the business by increasing the production capacity and stepping into diversified businesses. Initially, I will embark on developing the existing personnel to be ready to take up bigger challenges ahead.”

During the previous year, 7-Star Brand was recognized as B2B Brand of the Year at the SLIM Brand Excellence 2017. Serendib Flour Mills is committed to becoming the number one producer of wheat flour in Sri Lanka and the preferred flour supplier in international markets.

Serendib Flour Mills launched operations with a state-of-the-art single-line capacity wheat flour mill in the Port of Colombo on 26th May 2008 using sophisticated Swiss Buhler Technology. Carefully produced through a state-of-the-art milling process, using the very best wheat from countries such as Canada, Australia USA and Russia, the ‘7 Star’ range of flour contains the optimal mineral, gluten, water absorption and nutritional balance, making it a healthy and wholesome ingredient that is ideal for everyday use. Serendib Flour Mills has adhered to international standards of quality and best practices, and produces over 10 different varieties of flour, which are wholesome and packed with nutrition. Serendib Flour Mills has developed and implemented an integrated management system (IMS) based on ISO 22000:2005, FSSC 22000, ISO 9001:2015 & ISO 14001:2015 requirements. And also 7 Star is the only SLS certified brand of Wheat Flour in Sri Lanka.

The ‘7 Star’ range of flour is ideal for making a delicious range of breads, buns, rottis, pastries, noodles, biscuits and other sweet meats.

November 30, 2017

Wednesday, 29 November 2017, Colombo: Serendib Flour Mills (SFML) recently won a Silver award in the B2B Brand category at the prestigious SLIM Brand Excellence Awards, which took place at BMICH recently. The prestigious awards programme is conducted each year at a national level to recognize brands, teams and organizations across the country for showcasing excellence in the fields of marketing, advertising and communications. This was the very first year that SFML participated in the awards programmes and the company’s significant achievement at the event serves as a testament to its impactful and well-rounded marketing and branding efforts.

Conducted by SLIM (the Sri Lanka Institute of Marketing), the SLIM Brand Excellence Awards is a celebration of exemplary branding and marketing across multiple local industries. Through this event, SLIM endeavors to encourage best practices in marketing, whilst enhancing the image of the field in the country as well as that of SLIM within the region. Now in its 16^th edition, the SLIM Brand Excellence Awards programme acts as an industry platform for recognition and each year, entries are judged by an elite panel of experts who evaluate and reward truly outstanding brands that are making waves in their respective industries.

Commenting on SFML’s achievement at this year’s SLIM Brand Excellence Awards, Kalinga Wijesekera – Head of Marketing & Communications, SFML, said: “We are naturally delighted to recognized and to be honored with this prestigious award at the SLIM Brand Excellence award. Having competed for the very first time and among very strong and established brands and thus winning a silver award becomes even more credible. At SFML, we operate under a robust marketing communications strategy that is geared to deliver strong messages to our clients about our products, their benefits and our overall commitment to delivering a seamless and sustainable operation. At Serendib Flour Mills we truly believe in building brands. Last couple of years we have invested in building the 7 Star brand as it’s the only SLS certified wheat flour in the local Market. As such this award is a testament to the efforts that we have put in making 7 Star a winning brand. It is truly a delight to be recognized and rewarded for our consistent efforts as a top local brand and responsible B2B player, and we look forward to participating in this important programme in the coming years.”

Serendib Flour Mills is one of the leading flour mills in Sri Lanka and is a joint venture between Al Ghurair Foods (AGF) and Emirates Trading Agency (ETA). The company’s ‘7 Star’ brand of flour has been nourishing the nation for 9 years and embodies purity, innovation, quality, freshness, expertise, service and trust. Serendib Flour Mills is committed to becoming the number one producer of wheat flour in Sri Lanka and the preferred flour supplier in international markets. Serendib Flour Mills launched operations with a state-of-the-art single-line capacity wheat flour mill in the Port of Colombo on 26 May 2008. Serendib Flour Mills has developed and implemented an integrated management system (IMS) based on ISO 9001:2008, ISO 14001:2004, BS OHSAS 18001:2007 and ISO 22000:2005 requirements. The system complies with applicable laws and regulations, international standards and codes, and best manufacturing practices in the areas of quality, environment, occupational health and safety and food safety.

October 10, 2017

Serendib Flour Mills CEO Kevin O Leary handing over the Bus to the Centre for the Education of Hearing Impaired Children (CEHIC) in Kelaniya

June 27, 2017

Wednesday,24^thMay2017, Colombo: Serendib Flour Mills as part of its CSR commitment recently celebrated the religious festival of Poson Poya by conducting 3 dansal events in 3 different locations of the island. The Paan dansala was held on 8^thJune 2017 where the company distributed 3,000 portions of bread with curry in partnership with its Embilipitiya distributor, Sirini daily needs. In a second dansala on the same day, the company distributed 17,500 buns + 7,000 apples at its Banis dansala at Anuradhapra by joining hands with its distributor in the area, Uma Distributor. Yet another Banis Dansala was held in Warakapola where 6,000 buns with Tea were distributed by the company in partnership with its local distributor. MPCS Warakapola on the day before Poson Poya. Serendib Flour Mills actively participates in celebrating important religious and cultural events with local communities, with enthusiastic cooperation by its employees in these CSR activities.

Newer Posts

Serendib Flour Mills celebrates the contributions of their “round-the-clock” workforce on World Flour Day 2021

Serendib Flour Mills awarded “COVID-19 Safety Management Systems” certification

Serendib Flour Mills reaffirms commitment to availability of ample flour stocks in Sri Lanka

Serendib Flour Mills introduces new Chakki Atta Flour to its 7 Star range

Mohamed Riyal Appointed CEO of Serendib Flour Mills to Drive New Growth & Expansion Plans

Serendib Flour Mills – Seven Star Wheat Flour claims Silver at the SLIM Brand Excellence Awards

Serendib Flour Mills celebrates World Children’s Day with students of CEHIC

Serendib Flour Mills marks Poson Poya with generous dansalas in 3 locations