New Anthoney’s Farms took its place once again on the floor of ProFood ProPack and AgBiz 2026, Sri Lanka’s largest food, packaging and agriculture exhibition, held from 21 to 23 August at BMICH. The company’s stall, spread across D20, D21, D34 and D35, extended a run of appearances that has already earned it back to back recognition at the show, including Best Stall in the Food and Beverage category in 2023 and Best Stall, Agri Biz in 2024.

For visitors to the stall, the draw was simple: sample the dishes New Anthoney’s had prepared for the show, and see firsthand the produce behind a brand that has spent close to four decades building its case on one idea, chicken raised without antibiotics, tested independently at every stage, from hatchery to household.

Adding to the atmosphere was a cooking demonstration by Sanjula Manoj from Hasalaka, who was crowned Sri Lanka’s first ever Master Chef winner on 9 May. He cooked and demonstrated with HarithaHari and Crizzpys chicken at the stall on 22 and 23 August, a nod to New Anthoney’s role as Official Poultry Supplier to MasterChef Sri Lanka, the country’s first local edition of the format.

The stall’s own Crizzpys promotion ran in parallel on social media, built around the brand’s ready to eat frozen crispy chicken range. Three winners were given the chance to step into the MasterChef Sri Lanka kitchen with a Season 1 finalist and create a Crizzpys inspired signature dish of their own, after entrants named the finalist they would most like to cook alongside, followed the page, liked the post and tagged a friend, with winners announced on 15 August.

The Maxxis Ceylon Open 2026 concluded successfully with its Grand Finale Weekend, held on August 22 and 23 at Padel House, CR & FC, capping one of Sri Lanka’s largest padel doubles championships.

Organised by Padel Chief, a Sri Lankan-built digital infrastructure platform for competitive premium racket sports, with Maxxis Sri Lanka on board as title sponsor, the tournament ran across three divisions, Pro, Intermediate and Beginner, and nine categories covering Men’s, Women’s and Mixed Doubles. Play was spread across two months, with early rounds completed on a flexible schedule before semi-finals and finals were brought together for the two-day finale.

The championship carried a total prize pool of LKR 330,000, among the largest cash prizes offered at a Sri Lankan padel tournament. It also featured the country’s first public padel draw, hosted at Headquarters by W15 and sponsored by W15 Collection. Anujon Yogendran and Anjana De Silva conducted the draw and officiated throughout the tournament.

Nine championship titles were awarded across the weekend. Rajeev Rajapakse and Sankha Athukorale won Men’s Pro; Bianca Acquistapace and Dinali De Silva took Women’s Pro; and Athukorale paired with Acquistapace for Mixed Pro. Chinthake Dissanayake and Dominik Simonsen claimed Men’s Intermediate, Annika Fernando and Sachini Iddamalgoda won Women’s Intermediate, and Dissanayake partnered Shayanika Fernando for Mixed Intermediate. In the Beginner division, Roland and Yasir Issadeen won Men’s, Kala Perry and Shana Dandeniya took Women’s, and Igor Diuburg and Alika Malonoh won Mixed.

Athukorale and Acquistapace were the standout performers of the weekend, each securing two Pro titles.

Plate titles went to Angus Hopkinson and Arvindh Fernando, Niroshan and Nilushi Fernando, Sulaiman Siraj and Yasir Issadeen, Ayendree Seneviratne and Sasala Dissanayake, Ruvin Kularatne and Sujani Bogollagama, Gavindu Widanaarachchi and Randula Hettige, Hasanji Ellawela and Nayanthara de Silva, and Rukshan De Silva and Aditi Amalean.

“Maxxis Ceylon Open 2026 is proof of what this platform can do when players, clubs and partners come together around a proper competitive structure. Every match this season fed into an official rating, every result was tracked, and the players who stood out at the Grand Finale Weekend earned it over two months of competition. This is the future.” said Nisal Sudila, Chief Operating Officer of Padel Chief.

Padel Chief now turns to the Grand SLAM25 Championship Finale on September 12 and 13, followed by the invitation-only Padel Chief Awards Night on September 18.

Japan Business Council (SLJBC) of The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce recently held its 47th AGM, with the Ambassador of Japan and the Patron of the Council, Akio ISOMATA, attending as the Chief Guest.

Addressing the gathering, Ambassador ISOMATA outlined three priorities for deepening bilateral economic relations: an effective and forward-looking trade and investment policy, the promotion of domestic industrial policy, and expanded investment in renewable energy. He noted that Sri Lanka’s ongoing review of its Free Trade Agreement policy would be important in shaping the country’s future negotiating landscape. He encouraged Sri Lanka to look Eastward toward Southeast Asia and Japan, proposing that the country adopt an export-oriented industrial model. The Ambassador welcomed the Government’s National Export Development Plan 2026 and National Mineral Policy 2026 as consistent with Japan’s vision of connecting Sri Lanka’s export-related manufacturing sectors with India’s high-growth manufacturing base.

In his address, President Athulla R F Edirisinghe reflected on nearly seven decades of humanitarian and development support extended by Japan to Sri Lanka, and paid tribute to the Chairman of the Sasakawa Peace Foundation Yohei Sasakawa, for his magnanimity in establishing the Foundation. Reflecting on the history of Japanese investment in the region from the 1970s onward, he observed that Sri Lanka had missed many opportunities to attract Japanese foreign direct investment. Highlighting the 2025 proposal for a Sri Lanka – Japan Economic Corridor by the Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry Japan, he called on Sri Lankan businesses, industry associations, and the wider community to come together in dialogue with the Government to ensure the country does not miss this opportunity as well.

2026/27 Committee: President: Athulla R F Edirisinghe – Director, Hirohama Ceylon (Pvt) Ltd, Senior Vice President – Ruwan Waidyaratne – Managing Director, Hayleys Advantis Ltd, Vice – President – Shamil Mendis – Managing Director, Spear International (Pvt) Ltd, Treasurer – Rohitha Mendis – Managing Director of Prudential Shipping Lines (Pte) Ltd, Immediate Past President – Mahen Kariyawasan – Managing Director, Andrew The Travel Company (Pvt) Ltd, representatives from Amano Lanka Engineering (Pvt) Ltd, BOV Capital (Pvt) Ltd, Brandix Apparel (Pvt) Ltd, Heritage Teas (Pvt) Ltd, Kalhari Enterprises (Pvt) Ltd, Lanka Harness (Pvt) Ltd, Dentsu Grant (Pvt) Ltd, MAC Holdings (Pvt) Ltd, and Vidullanka PLC. By invitation: HVA Foods PLC (subsidiary of George Steuart & Co), Spillburg Holdings (Pvt) Ltd, and Vaughan Chemicals (Pvt) Ltd.

The Sri Lanka – Japan Business Council plays an important role in promoting trade, tourism, and investments between Japan and Sri Lanka. For membership inquiries contact Kiyara at The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce via E-mail: businesscouncils1@chamber.lk or Tel.: 011 5588875/ 5588800.