Pyramid Wilmar marks 20 years of success in food biz; says SL has biggest potential in agriculture

• Leads in edible oil industry, sugar trading, bakery industry essentials and value-added milk and related products
• Reveals $ 1 b investment made to grow food business with Singapore-based global giant Wilmar apart from diversifying into leisure with Shangri-La
• Attributes focus on providing world-class quality products at affordable prices and resilient team to success
• Insists Sri Lanka can be self-sufficient in edible oil and milk supplies, reducing dependency on imports
• Calls for pragmatic policies and enabling environment

Pyramid Wilmar MD Sajjad Mawzoon

Pyramid Wilmar Director and COO Thanveer Siddique -Pix by Upul Abeysekara

By Nisthar Cassim

Pyramid Wilmar yesterday marked 20 years of success in the food business and announced plans to further consolidate its leadership position, emphasising Sri Lanka has its biggest potential in the broader agriculture industry.

Identifying itself as one of Sri Lanka’s most progressive and influential corporate entities in food manufacturing and marketing, Pyramid Wilmar is a joint venture between Pyramid Oil Mills and Singapore-based global giant Wilmar International Ltd. The latter is Asia’s leading agribusiness group, with over 1,000 manufacturing plants in over 50 countries. 

Wilmar is a global leader in processing and merchandising palm and lauric oils and also leads the market in flour and rice milling, and is amongst the top 10 raw sugar producers and traders in the world.

Locally, Pyramid Wilmar is the largest edible oil player in the market and has several value-added products under brands such as Fortune, MeadowLea, and Fondré, in addition to the Masterline range of bakery products acquired from Unilever. It also has interests in plantations and dairy, in addition to leisure via joint venture with Shangri-La.

“We have invested over $ 1 billion in the past two decades and achieved many milestones,” Pyramid Wilmar Managing Director Sajjad Mawzoon told journalists. “We have achieved a lot and could have done more if not for the many challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the political-economic crisis of 2020-22,” he added.

Mawzoon, as well as the Pyramid Wilmar team, are strong believers in the future potential of Sri Lanka, especially in the broader agriculture industry.

“Prior to the 1990s, we used to be self-sufficient in edible oil but today, over 250,000 tons are imported. Sri Lanka can locally produce its requirement,” he added. The Group is also keen to expand fresh milk and milk products supply, with current supply accounting for 5% market share.

“In edible oil and milk supplies, Sri Lanka can be self-sufficient or substantially reduce dependency on imports, for which pragmatic policies and an enabling environment are critical,” the Managing Director emphasised, adding that the company and Sri Lanka stand to benefit from the global expertise of Wilmar.

“For two decades, we have walked hand in hand with Sri Lanka, contributing to the economy, nurturing resources, and empowering people. This isn’t just about business—it is about building a better, brighter future for every Sri Lankan” said Mawzoon. 

He said as a leading food manufacturing and marketing company, Pyramid Wilmar constantly strives to ensure quality through progressive partnerships and commitment to excellence and innovation along with a resilient team of employees.

Pyramid Wilmar Director and Chief Operating Officer Thanveer Siddique echoed similar optimism. “We want to be the largest food conglomerate. Our focus is on providing a world-class quality product at an affordable price,” he said, adding that from plantation to processing and logistics, Pyramid Wilmar has been reaping operational synergies in the supply chain to enrich the lives of Sri Lankans.

“Together with a well-integrated supply chain and strategic investments, Pyramid Wilmar has transformed the local food industry,” Siddique added. 

The company manufactures products conforming to global and local standards including GMP, HACCP, FSSC 22000, ISO 22000, HAC, ISO14001, ISO45001, ASI, and the ISO 9011.

Reinforcing Managing Director Mawzoon’s sentiment, Siddique also believes Sri Lanka has greater potential, especially in the agricultural sphere. “There is no land with better opportunities than Sri Lanka. All of us—corporates, the Government, and the people—can build a better Sri Lanka with the required support system,” he added.

To mark the 20th anniversary, and further contribute to the food industry, Pyramid Wilmar announced the launch of a countrywide “ChefsHunt” to award 25 culinary enthusiasts a scholarship to enrol for a NVQ Level 4 certificate at the MW Institute of Culinary Art in Sri Lanka.