Cargills (Ceylon) PLC

Cargills (Ceylon) PLC
Public
Traded as CSE: CARG.N0000
Industry Banking
Retail
FMCG
Restaurant
Founded Colombo Fort, Sri Lanka 1844
Founder William Miller
David Sime Cargill
Headquarters Colombo, Sri Lanka
Area served
 Sri Lanka
Key people
 Louis R. Page
Chairman
Ranjit Page
Vice Chairman
M.I. Abdul Wahid
Managing Director
Products FMCG Brands
Cargills Magic
Heavenly
Kotmale
Cargills Kist
Cargills Supremo
Cargills Finest
Cargills Goldi
Cargills Sams
Milca
Cargills Lanka Milk

Retail Brands
Cargills Food City
Cargills Food City Express
Cargills Big City
Cargills Book City

Restaurant Brands
KFC Sri Lanka
T.G.I. Friday'sSri Lanka
Revenue Rs 58.3 billion(2014)[1]
Rs 2.2 billion[1]
Number of employees
 8,325(2014)
Website www.cargillsceylon.com

Cargills (Ceylon) PLC is a Sri Lankan Banking, Retail, FMCG and Restaurant company which is listed on the Colombo Stock Exchange. The controlling interest in the company is held by Ceylon Theatres PLC.[2]

History

In 1844, William Miller and David Sime Cargill commenced a general warehouse, import and wholesale business in Colombo Fort. The establishment was named the ‘House of Cargills’. A successful bid by Sir Chittampalam A. Gardiner saw the House of Cargills being incorporated as a Public limited company on 1 March 1946.

In 1981 Ceylon Theatres acquired controlling interest of the Company and Mr. Albert A. Page was appointed the Managing Director. Mr. Albert Page went on to become the Chairman of Cargills on 26 November 1982.

Under the new management, Cargills explored the potential of innovating on its trading legacy. As a result, in 1983 Cargills established the first supermarket chain in Sri Lanka with the opening of its first outlet at Staple Street.

Cargills ventured into the production of processed meats in 1993 when the Company invested in its first manufacturing facility Cargills Quality Foods, in Mattakkuliya. In 1996 Cargills acquired the franchise license for KFC and innovated on its secret recipe to deliver products that suited the local palate.

Cargills began sourcing fruits and vegetables directly from farmers in 1999 when it established its first collection centre in Hanguranketha. In 2002 it invested in a dairy processing plant and thereby expanded its outgrower network to include dairy farmers. Cargills Magic ice cream was the outcome of this endeavor. In the same year Cargills diversified into agri-processing with Cargills Kist which created further market opportunities for farmers.

In 2008 Cargills acquired Millers Limited consolidating its marketing and distribution operation.

In 2010 Cargills undertook an aggressive expansion plan in the FMCG sector to ride the growth potential of a growing economy. During that year the Company expanded its interests in the dairy sector by acquiring Kotmale Holdings PLC and entered another growing category with the acquisition of Diana Biscuits now marketed under the Kist brand.

In 2011, Cargills entered the soft alcohol industry by completing the acquisition of the McCallum Brewery and its brands. In the same year the Company secured a provisional commercial banking license from the Central Bank of Sri Lanka.

In 2013, Cargills acquired the franchise license for T.G.I. Friday's and opened its first restaurant at Colombo Fort in October 2013.

Banking

Modern Retailing

Cargills is involved in retailing goods through the following brands:

Food Manufacturing

Cargills is involved in food manufacturing through the following sub brands:

Restaurant

Agri Business

Cargills Agri Business model[2]

Distribution

Millers Distributors[2]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Cargills Annual Report 2013.pdf" (PDF). Cargills, Ltd. Retrieved 18 September 2014.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Cargills Ceylon PLC - Pride of the Nation
  3. ↑ Cargills Food City

External links