Munchee founder conferred Entrepreneur Hall of Fame award by FCCISL

M.P Wickramasinghe a senior business leader and a vociferous activist in the arena of the Sri Lankan business was conferred “Hall of Fame” award by the Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Sri Lanka (FCCISL) at the sixteenth edition of the FCCISL Sri Lankan Entrepreneur of the Year Awards 2011 held recently in Cinnamon Grand, Colombo.

Appraising his outstanding contribution made to the national economy by creating CBL Empire, the award was given away by FCCISL President Kumar Mallimaratchchi.

The Hall of Fame is an endeavour by the FCCISL to honour individuals of noteworthy achievements in their fields of expertise in the arena of entrepreneurship.

Wickramasinghe, an innovator who made the Munchee brand a phenomenon by taking consumer insights into consideration like manufacturing lemon puff that along the biscuit to get the taste of the cream, launching different types of chocolate products when chocolates were known to people in the form of slabs, changing the consumer behaviour by awaking cream cracker could be eaten by itself by anyone in any age group to satisfy small hunger pangs.  

He set the grounds to revamp lot of usual biscuits by changing pretence frame of mind.

CBL began its business in 1968 by manufacturing a protein-enriched biscuit for school children, a concept developed by Wickramasinghe, the Chairman of Ceylon Biscuits Limited.

When the business grew CBL went ahead with the flagship brand Munchee and today CBL holds 60 percent of the country’s market share, supplies to over 45 countries, swaying the visionary thinking of Wickramasinghe to be the market leader in confectionery in Asia with a global presence and recognition.

CBL has not only gained more than fair share with their biscuits and chocolates but also in Soya meat  products, range of cakes and Swiss rolls, ready to drink natural fruit juices, dehydrated and herbal foods.

CBL minimise the risk involved of the product failing in the Sri Lankan market which contains a high population of manufacturing similar products, by understanding the consumer properly and act accordingly.

Wickramsinghe is a role model with an independent spirit and self-sufficient nature, influenced and inspired the acts of other novices, entrepreneurs to take the same path of seeking excellence in business and come out with innovative strategies to make a difference to Sri Lanka.

Out of his role being a successive entrepreneur he is also a writer, a newspaper columnist and his latest publication is a novel named E. Danda.