Raffles Consolidated celebrates 21st anniversary

• A journey through excellence

Raffles Consolidated, a well-established name in the hospitality, management and tourism industry, celebrates its 21st anniversary on 1 December 2020. Headed by industry veteran Tony Bohoran, Chairman and Managing Director of Raffles Consolidated, the company has grown exponentially since its inception in 1999.

The journey towards what Raffles Consolidated is today began with Tony, who travelled the world gaining experience as a hotelier internationally. Tony also has an impressive set of qualifications under his belt, including and not limited to degrees in both cooking, and food and beverage management. 

Upon his return to Sri Lanka Tony partnered with the late Athula Senanayake, and was an integral founding member of ‘Don Stanley’s’. Post his stint with Athula Senanayake, Tony ventured into consultancy and left his mark on many cafes in Colombo. 

Drawing inspiration from his experiences Tony Bohoran along with three partners launched Raffles Consolidated on 1 December 1999, and thus a legacy was born. 

The company over the years has ventured into many sectors of the hospitality industry; however, it specialises in catering and event management. Raffles during its 21-year tenure has successfully secured mass catering contracts with leading corporates, banks and garment industries like the Hirdaramani Group, MAS, Brandix, Access Towers, HSBC and Orion City. 

A special mention must be made to Omega Line Ltd., their longest standing customer to date, through which Raffles has catered to over 18,000 employees daily for the past 20 years. 

With the start of Raffles Residence, the company expanded its capacity in event management and opened up a new space for those looking for an elegant experience. Located in the heart of Nugegoda, with ease of access from Colombo and its suburbs, the venue is complete with two banquet halls with a seating capacity of 100 and 300 respectively.

These banquet halls are equipped to cater to any type of event from corporate gatherings, conventions, conferences, to personal events such as parties and weddings. Complete with alluring and charming interiors to modern amenities such as built-in LED screens, these venues have hosted star-class events and weddings since its debut in 2016.

Furthermore, in terms of catering, the company has already expanded its services and has built an industrial kitchen in Kelaniya that is equipped to deliver 5,000 meals per day. They plan to continue their stint with corporate giants and their employees by expanding their reach in terms of providing daily meals, but this time on a much larger scale. With the opening of the industrial kitchen, Raffles Consolidated has already taken on two new large-scale corporate clients who they will cater to starting next January. 

With its customer-centric approach and passion towards bringing luxury and comfort overall, Raffles Consolidated is laying its foundation to make an entrance into the real estate market via residential apartments. Aiming to offer a refreshing new take on living in Colombo, Raffles is embarking on a journey that involves building an apartment complex to suit the modern yet homely aspirations of its potential customers.

This is only a step in their plan in terms of future business ventures, and as part of its second phase of expansion, Raffles Consolidated is planning on developing a boutique hotel in the scenic and misty mountains of Kithulgala. Having already acquired a plot in the hills with promises of unbeatable views, Raffles is drawing its plans to build a luxury getaway that will blend in with nature and by extension offer its guests an experience unlike any other. 

In addition to this, the company is also looking into acquiring resorts and boutique hotels that it will take under its wing and manage as part of its brand. 

With an impressive track record collectively accumulated over the years, the journey Raffles Consolidated embarked on from 1999 is far from over. One could say it has barely begun. With large expansion plans in the works, the company is ready to welcome new ideas, new investors and will kick start its larger ventures post its initial public offering that is set to take place soon. 

Raffles is set to expand its already impressive reach to the hill country and the south, to avoid limitations in terms of geography. These plans, once set in motion, will not only serve to expand the Raffles Consolidated empire but will also offer opportunities to people in terms of investments, jobs and livelihood. 

As a company, Raffles has worked with an understanding that in terms of development, be it personal or business, the possibilities are endless. As Tony Bohoran always says, “Challenges like to present themselves by the dozen, but it is your commitment to your goals that will allow you to achieve the impossible. And with that mindset, your possibilities are limitless.”