As industry suffers from unsafe products and rackets, regulating coconut oil trade vital

The Government should intervene to introduce a regulatory mechanism to ensure that coconut oil sold in the open market complies with high quality safety standards to safeguard the interests of consumers; Cherubium Lanka, a key player in the industry suggested. The lack of regulation and the absence of an acceptable benchmark quality standard in the industry have led to an unfortunate situation, where various individuals and companies feed the marketplace with inferior quality, substandard coconut oil, which jeopardises the health of the people, says Cherubium Lanka Head of Sale and Marketing Denzil Perera.

The ‘SLS’ quality certification standard introduced by the Sri Lanka Standards Institution for coconut oil does not adequately cover the goodness, quality and nutrition standards of the products rather it is a certification which only covers the process and packing. It doesn’t mean anything to the customer; the certification should be for what is inside the bottle.

Therefore, nobody can give a categorical assurance on the goodness, quality and safety standards of most coconut oil products in the marketplace. Without any concern for goodness, quality, safety and hygienic standards, it is possible to produce coconut oil at low cost and also sell it at comparatively cheaper prices to consumers, he explained. He said that it should be borne in mind that products manufactured under globally acknowledged, guaranteed quality and safety standards cost more money than cheap, inferior varieties. It is true that ‘Marina’ coconut oil cost a little more in terms of price, but there is a complete assurance on the goodness, quality, hygiene and safety of the product.

Referring to dubious activities carried out at present in the coconut oil trade by certain unscrupulous elements using the ‘Marina’ brand image, Perera said: “Some traders in Pettah collect empty ‘Marina’ coconut oil cans and refill them with inferior quality, unsafe coconut oil. Thereafter, they sell these cans at a comparatively higher price under the guise of original ‘Marina’ products. Many customers have fallen victim and cheated by these racketeers. These unsuspecting customers had not realised that they had bought substandard coconut oil at a higher price in the belief that they were genuine, trust-worthy top quality ‘Marina’ products. 

“We receive regular complaints in this regard. The brand image of ‘Marina’ is tarnished as a result of this racket. Customers are also misled and suffer the consequences of consuming low quality coconut oil. It should be noted that such an unhealthy situation has arisen due to the absence of any government regulation in the coconut oil manufacturing process. We appeal to those in authority to intervene and ensure the regulation of this vital industry to safeguard the interests of all segments involved in the business.”

Cherubium Lanka, a 100% Sri Lankan company within the NMK Holdings umbrella, has introduced more than 30 safe and hygienic food products, including ‘Marina’ Pure Coconut Oil and ‘Marina Lite’ to the local and international market. All ‘Marina’ food products are manufactured using state-of-the-art technology in compliance with internationally accepted quality standards. The manufacturing process of the company has been awarded ISO-22000, HACCP, GMP international certifications. NMK Group of Companies and the brand name ‘Marina’ also won Asia Pacific Entrepreneur of the Year – 2014 award and ‘SLIM Brand Excellence’ award 2013 respectively.

Under the leadership of NMK Group of Companies Chairman Manjula Narayana, Cherubium Lanka has reached greater heights. As a leading Sri Lankan company, it has entered the global sphere of marketing. He is credited with undertaking intense research on Sri Lanka’s traditional indigenous cuisine. As a pioneer in the technique of recycling left-over fresh local food for re-consumption to prevent wastage, this versatile connoisseur of culinary delights has made a significant contribution to the hospitality industry.

NMK Group is dedicated towards building a strong and healthy nation while ensuring a better tomorrow to the marginalised sections of the community.