Story of Samaposha comes alive with real farming families

The story of ‘Samaposha’, the favourite breakfast cereal that kick-starts the day for Sri Lanka’s children, is woven around the life of farmers who grow the nutritious grain that goes into producing the product. These farming outgrowers form the backbone of the unique Samaposha backward integration scheme that enriches the nation’s health and economy. 

Plenty Foods, the subsidiary of Ceylon Biscuits Ltd., launched the outgrower system two decades ago to ensure that the grain used to produce Samaposha is fresh and is of very high quality, especially because it is consumed by the nation’s children as a hurried breakfast. There are no artificial additives at all in Samaposha which is made of 100% natural and 100% local ingredients. 

The backward integration endeavour has proved to be so successful that the areas where the cultivation takes place in far-flung hamlets are visibly thriving. For the farmers who grow the grains, it is much more than a livelihood. It is a heartfelt commitment and dedication that is reflected in their contented faces. 

The philosophy of the Samaposha backward integration system is simple. Cultivate and produce quality grain – corn, soya, rice, green gram – and in return Plenty Foods will give back quality of life to the farming families. Among the array of benefits they get, pride of place goes to the price. The agreed market price is guaranteed and therefore risk-free for the farmer. More importantly, it is always slightly above the market rate. 

Samaposha outgrowers also enjoy benefits such as knowledge sharing that develops their management and cultivation skills, ability to obtain a hassle-free bank loan, emergency assistance in case of an acute need such as damage to the crop from a natural disaster, advisory services and technical assistance at every stage from the initial preparation of the soil to planting the seed right up to the final produce reaching the factory in Pallekelle, Kandy. These are a few of the advantages that keep the farmers contented and smiling.  

‘Govi Pawula’ or ‘Farmer Club’ is the five-pronged initiatives powered by Plenty Foods to further uplift the social-economic conditions of these farmers: ‘Govi Denuma,’ enhancing agricultural knowhow; ‘Govi Sarana,’ providing assistance in the hour of need; ‘Govi Sathuta,’ providing social bonding and integration to the farmer community; ‘Govi Suvaya’ that helps them to maintain good health and ‘Govi Arana,’ that meets their religious and spiritual needs.

For the Samaposha farming families, visits from the company’s field officers and staff are warmly welcomed as though a much loved relative is visiting. A regular visitor is the Plenty Foods Director/Chief Executive Officer Shammi Karunaratne who said: “We have been able to establish a strong bond with the farmers because this unique win-win system benefits not only our Samaposha farmers but the entire nation, ensuring high quality nutrition for all, especially children.”

The story of the outgrower system that has made a difference to the Samaposha farming families is lyrically and heartwarmingly captured in a corporate campaign launched recently to create awareness about its impact. 

What is most unique about the communication is that all those who are featured are not professional models but real people – farmers who grow the grain, the athletic coach who genuinely endorses the health benefits of Samaposha, the teacher who educates children on balanced nutrition, the management staff of Plenty Foods who conceived and implemented the project that has now become a household word and is the benchmark for healthy, high quality locally manufactured cereals endorsed by SLC and ISO certification.

The corporate TV commercial was directed by acclaimed film director Priyantha Kolombage.  Cinematography was in the hands of Channa Deshapriya, also renowned in the movie industry. They as well as many others have all combined their talents to do justice to the fascinating story of Samaposha that contributes to a healthy nation and a healthy economy.