Ross Dairies acquires Watawala Plantation’s fresh milk arm Lonach.
Daily FT: Ross Dairies has recently acquired the Watawala Plantations PLC fresh milk arm Watawala Dairy, which operates the ‘Pride of Lonach’ brand of pasteurised farm fresh milk.
The ownership, management, distribution and production of the brand has been formally transferred to Ross Dairies effective 16 September 2022.
A subsidiary of the Conmix Group of Companies, Ross Dairies has owned and operated a model farm with Australian heifer cows in the Matale District since 2017.
Ross Dairies milk is manufactured to the highest international dairy standards whilst strictly adhering to a ‘No Artificial Additives’ policy; thereby ensuring the milk remains fresh and creamy whilst retaining its nutritional goodness consistently at optimum levels.
In 2020, Ross Dairies launched a premium pasteurised flavoured milk brand, ‘Moo Premium Pasteurised Milk’.
Together with its pasteurised fresh milk, both products have been made available to consumers in sustainable packaging formats in order to provide a premium alternative to local and imported products.
Ross Dairies is one of the few farms in Sri Lanka selected by Market Oriented Dairy (MOD – a project funded by the United States Department of Agriculture) as a model farm and training centre; a testament to the commitment and uncompromising dedication to quality that is adhered to by the Ross Dairies brand.
With the acquisition of ‘Pride of Lonach’, Ross Dairies will now meet consumer demands for both products through its Kadawatha Milk Processing Centre, utilising one distribution channel that will cater to its premium consumer base through supermarkets, cafes and mini marts.
Ross Dairies will be re-launching the exclusive home delivery network for consumers which is available to the Colombo District at the inception and will gradually expand to other parts of the Western Province.
The range of products currently on offer by Ross Dairies are: Lonach Full Cream Milk, Lonach Low Fat Milk, Lonach Gee and Moo Premium Pasteurised Milk.
Ross Dairies plans to expand its distribution network and product line in the near future ensuring Sri Lankan consumers of the highest quality in international dairy standards available in the domestic market.
OSL take:
Sri Lanka’s target of developing the country’s dairy industry to become self-sufficient has opened up a host of new business/investment opportunities in the dairy industry. The growth and business potential in the local dairy industry has resulted in investment and expansion programmes being carried out by businesses engaged in the dairy sector. The business potential in the dairy industry has been identified by multilateral financial institutions who have pledged funds for the uplifting and development of the local dairy industry. Given the expanding opportunities and the availability of funds for identified projects, foreign businesses/investors could confidently explore the opportunities in Sri Lanka’s dairy industry. Foreign businesses could also explore the possibility of looking at forming partnerships or joint ventures with local businesses engaged in the dairy industry.
| Article Code : | VBS/TD/04112022/T_4 |