In an interview with the Sunday Times Mr Ashan Kannangara, General Manager, Sales and Operations, Maliban Biscuit Manufactories (Pvt) Ltd said that the indications were that the Sri Lankan consumers were increasingly accepting Maliban as the best quality biscuits in Sri Lanka. He said that not only the Sri Lankan consumers, but also the Western markets had identified 'Maliban' as conforming to world standards and quality biscuits.
He says that these wonderful and rapid achievements are due to a committed and strong sales force who work relentlessly to achieve targets or rather go beyond the set targets, but never to compromise the consistent quality of 'Maliban Biscuits'.
He categorically said that there is absolutely no competition within the country and if at all there is competition that is among them in satisfying the consumer of the best quality biscuit and they have indeed achieved this norm and found that consumers are happy and thus they too are happy of having to share in giving the best for the consumer.
The full interview with Mr Kannangara:
Q:Explain the industry that Maliban Biscuits represent
Maliban Biscuits is a product as a secondary commodity in the market-place and we are basically now close upon 50% in terms of volume. Specifically I think this industry is not growing up to our expectation levels, the main reason being - economy does not support its by-products because there are other essential products in the lifestyle. Maliban Biscuits are holding as very strong position in the biscuits category in Sri Lanka.
Currently we do not think that we have any kind of competition in the marketplace because we have our own way of doing things. We can now see that we are regaining the market in a very big way.
Q:What is your industry growth?
If you look at the biscuit industry, we have registered an unexpected growth and undoubtedly I think we have taken a major share from the competition. We have doubled our growth in 2011.
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| Mr Ashan Kannangara, General Manager, Sales and Operations, Maliban Biscuit Manufactories (Pvt) Ltd |
The success story in our industry - Maliban - we have been maintaining highest ethics and for that matter for any business or industry to be successful in the long run they must conform to best practices and ethics which our late Chairman, A G Hinniappuhamy and the current Chairman Mr Ratnapala Samaraweera wanted us to adhere to best practices and ethics in our daily work in order to produce best quality items at a reasonable and affordable price to satisfy the consumer needs.
These highest norms have been fulfilled by using the best raw materials and the best and modern technology.
Q: As a reputed organization how do you protect industry ethics?
It is very simple. As a reputed and recognized company what we preach we practice and we never cheat the consumer.
Q: Explain the meaning of being an ethical company?
About seven years ago the Company faced a major labour dispute and as a result we lost some market share to the competition. But we never changed the way of our thinking, the way we work and with whatever constraints we have been precisely maintaining the best ethics that we have consistently been practicing to maintain the undisputed image of the Company.
Conformity to unstinted and consistent best ethical practices has really helped us to reinstall ourselves as one of the leading biscuit manufacturers in Sri Lanka and our products are well received in the Western Markets due to our consistent conformity to best trade practices.
Q: As a leader how do you see competition?
I categorically say that our competition among us is to give a best product to our consumers and persistently improve the quality and make our consumers always happy that they consume the best product in the market at a very reasonable price. Our happiness and contentment is in the happiness of the consumer as we consider consumer as the 'King'.
Q:Is competition an opportunity or a disadvantage?
Competition has never been a threat to up but it always provided us a great opportunity to make out products quality consistent in offering the best to our consumers. If you look at the market growth rates, it confirms our contention.
Q:Do you have competition?
No.
Q:Within the industry what is the competitive scope?
Within the industry, since the economy is not growing we foresee that we have to think of introducing different types of pack sizes to the market place to meet the consumer requirements. There is no competition for us within the industry because the consumers are very well aware that we manufacture world's best quality Biscuits. This fact is amply augment as the European market has recognized our biscuits conform to best world standards. That is the competitive advantage what we have to drive the market.
Q:There was a statement given by one of your competitors indicating that they have come forward to offer help when there was a crisis. Is it true?
Who ever has made that statement - I must say that it is not true. There was a crisis, but let me tell that no one came forward to help us. It is only our Chairman and the Board of Directors who stood by the people.
Q:As a Leader of a well disciplined sales force how do you maneuver your operational plan?
As the leader of a well disciplined sales force I would like to comment about the sales force that they are highly motivated, objective oriented and as such a very strong versatile sales force. I believe the dictum "Leaders are not born, but they are made" and we have made such a strong sales force that they will never ever give way to anybody.
As a leader we have laid down our sales plan for the next three years and up to now we have achieved best results. The success of our sales team is that everyone of them thinks that he is a leader and all these leaders together climbs to great heights in not only achieving the targets set, but go beyond to achieve more than what is targeted.
Everyone of them has started keeping up to their commitment. What we believe is that before you achieve your plans you should achieve your commitment. I think we have a very strong, intelligent and a committed sales force to fight back in any situation. I restructured the entire operation giving them the proper authority levels.
Q:North and East developing'. What is your strategy?
I would say that North and East markets are growing. If you look at the northern area, in that area one of the strong brands is "Maliban Biscuits".
The strategy what we have planned to implement to develop the North and East markets is to improve the retail coverage and at the same time to afford the best service to the consumer. Currently we have reached 85% of the coverage levels. By now we have covered 75% in the Eastern belt.
In the rural development, we have implemented a separate network to give the best service to the small retailer.
Q:Marketing places a strategic role in terms of consumer orientation. Have you achieved this?
Yes. We have achieved it in a big way. How we have achieved this is that we had a non-conventional approach to the overall marketing strategy.
Q:What are your comments on Smart Cream Crackers to be a successful brand?
My comments are that yes, Smart Cream Crackers is undoubtedly a successful brand. My point is proved that within a year we have increased our sales volume five times. The success of Smart Cream Cracker is that we have given a superior quality product and the best taste experience to the consumer. I should mentioned Mr.Hashan Haputhanthri our Marketing Manager who invented the brand and the strategy to attack competition. His approach made a drastic impact.
Q:Awards carry a weight for the Core Brand Equity. Your comments?
Yes. During the year 2011 we have won several awards. Viz. We have got the award given by the Government - The National Quality Award - for the second time. The other one is ITQI. |
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