Business
A brand-new range of locally produced snacks from C. W. Mackie
C. W. Mackie, a well-known conglomerate in Sri Lanka, recently launched a brand new range of locally produced snacks that includes Cassava Chips, Fried Dhal, Buddy Peanuts, and Mixtures under its widely popular food and beverage brand, SCAN.
C.W. Mackie is a multi-cluster, multi-channel organization with a strong presence in its brands at every level in the market. SCAN Jumbo Peanut is one of the flagship brands of the SCAN Products Division of C.W. Mackie PLC group. In 2018, upon identifying the opportunity to not only provide high-quality, locally-grown peanuts but also promote community engagement and sustainable farming practices, C.W. Mackie PLC decided to promote peanuts cultivation locally and process same in a brand new factory with cutting-edge technology located in Horana, in an attempt to build a sustainable agriculture and food system in the country.
Today, in its specific product category, SCAN Jumbo Peanut is the category leader with an impressive market share of over 70 percent. The SCAN Jumbo peanuts are selected based on their size, processed with great care, and packaged under the trusted SCAN label in hygienic conditions. It is a proprietary brand that is highly popular among consumers of all ages that has gained a reputation for providing quality peanuts, which has contributed to its success and popularity in the market. Its commitment to quality and hygiene standards has helped to maintain its dominant position in the market.
Building upon the success of the consumer movement that gives prominence to locally produced items, demand has grown tremendously in recent months and with good reason, C.W. Mackie PLC has now extended its locally produced snacks portfolio to Cassava Chips, Fried Dhal, Buddy Peanuts and Mixture Bites, an impressive range of fast food at affordable prices.

Unveiling the Scan Snacks Innovations by The chairman Hemaka Amarasuriya and Mangala Perera
SCAN products testing laboratories are equipped with state-of-the-art equipment and staffed with skilled and experienced personnel; comparative tests are performed on products in accordance with local and international regulatory standards. The popularity of the SCAN brand is a testament to the trust that consumers have in its products. Its success can be attributed to its focus on quality, careful processing, and strict adherence to hygiene standards. While constantly improving and expanding its product portfolio, the company strives to provide the local consumer with high-quality products that meet their needs and preferences.
Sharing his thoughts at the launch, Mangala Perera, the Executive Director of C.W. Mackie PLC Group of Company stated: “We are immensely proud of our snacks range that benefits the local economy, including supporting local farmers and other producers while encouraging sustainable agriculture, and facilitates tracking the supply chain back to the point of origin to evaluate ecological practices.”
“I would like to thank everyone who made this success possible, especially the officials from the central Ministry of Agriculture, Agriculture Sector Modernization Project, and our loyal customers, whose ongoing support and belief is firmly established in our products, helped C.W. Mackie PLC to reach its current level of success,” Hemaka Amarasuriya the Chairman of C.W. Mackie PLC Group of Company concluded.
With a history of 125 years, C.W. Mackie PLC is a company listed in the Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) that specialises in manufacturing, exporting, and importing a wide range of Food and Beverages with the purpose of elevating the quality of life of our stakeholders. Scan Products Division which is the FMCG arm and the largest growing cluster of the diversified business conglomerate C. W Mackie PLC, with its hybrid vertical marketing and distribution channels, penetrates the different consumer markets with traditional trade, modern trade, HORECA food service sector channel, and institutional distribution.
Its product brand portfolio consists of well-known brands such as Sunquick, Jumbo Peanuts, Kotagala Kahata, Scan branded bottled water, Ocean Fresh Tuna, KVC (Processed fruits and vegetables) Products, N-Joy Coconut Oil and Star Brand Essences and Colourings, which have won the hearts of the Sri Lankan consumers and are market leaders in their respective categories. The management is fully committed to future expansion of the product portfolio with innovative product development.
Business
Dialog delivers strong growth, stronger national contribution in FY 2025
Dialog Axiata PLC announced, Friday 6th February 2026, its consolidated financial results (Reviewed) for the year ended 31st December 2025. Financial results included those of Dialog Axiata PLC (the “Company”) and of the Dialog Axiata Group (the “Group”).
Group Performance
The Group delivered a strong performance across Mobile, Fixed Line and Digital Pay Television businesses recording a positive Core Revenue growth of 16% Year to Date (“YTD”). Group Headline Revenue reached Rs179.6Bn, up 5% YTD, despite the continued strategic scaling down of low-margin international wholesale business. In Q4 2025, Revenue was recorded at Rs46.5Bn up 2% Quarter-on-Quarter (“QoQ”) and 2% Year-on-Year (“YoY”).
The Group Earnings Before Interest, Tax, Depreciation and Amortisation (“EBITDA”) reached Rs86.0Bn up 30% YTD supported by Core Revenue performance and Cost Rescaling Initiatives. On a QoQ basis Group EBITDA demonstrated a modest growth to record at Rs23.0Bn up 2% QoQ with an EBITDA margin of 49.5% in line with the Revenue performance. Group EBITDA margin reached 47.9% for FY 2025, up 9.2pp.
Group Net Profit After Tax (“NPAT”) reached Rs20.8Bn for FY 2025, up 67% YTD mainly resulting from robust EBITDA growth, despite higher tax and net finance costs. Normalized for forex impact, NPAT growth was recorded at +>100% YTD to reach Rs22.1Bn. On a QoQ basis NPAT grew 3% to reach Rs5.9Bn resulting from strong EBITDA performance.
On the back of strong operational performance, the Group recorded Operating Free Cash Flow (“OFCF”)
of Rs49.3Bn for FY 2025 up >100% YTD.
Dividend Payment to Shareholders
In line with the dividend policy and financial performance of the Group and taking into account the forward investment requirements to serve the nation’s demand for Broadband and Digital services, the Board of Directors of Dialog Axiata PLC at its meeting held on 6th February 2026, resolved to propose for consideration by the Shareholders of the Company, a dividend to ordinary shareholders amounting to Rs1.50 per share. The said dividend, if approved by shareholders, would translate to a Dividend Yield of 5.0% based on share closing price for FY 2025. The dividend so proposed will be considered for approval by the shareholders at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Company, the date pertaining to which would be notified in due course.
Company and Subsidiary Performance
At an entity level, Dialog Axiata PLC (the “Company”) continued to be the primary contributor to Group Revenue (76%) and Group EBITDA (74%). Aided by sustained growth in the Data segment and cost-rescaling initiatives, Company revenue was recorded at Rs135.8Bn for FY 2025, up 18% YTD, EBITDA rose 32% YTD to reach Rs63.6Bn. On a QoQ basis, Q4 2025 Revenue was recorded at Rs34.8Bn, down 1% QoQ due to a reclassification of Hubbing Revenue, while EBITDA decline 1% QoQ to record Rs17.0Bn, largely attributable to network restoration costs and donations made in relation to the Cyclone Ditwah relief efforts. Furthermore, NPAT was recorded at Rs15.6Bn for FY 2025, up 41% YTD. Normalised for forex impacts, the company NPAT was up +>100% YTD to reach Rs17.0Bn. On a QoQ basis, Company NPAT was recorded at Rs4.5Bn, down 6% QoQ.
Business
Ceylinco Life’s Pranama Scholarships reach 25-year milestone
Ceylinco Life has announced the launch of the 25th consecutive edition of its flagship Pranama Scholarships programme, marking a significant milestone in the company’s long-standing commitment to recognising and rewarding excellence among the children of its policyholders.
Under the 2026 programme, the life insurance market leader will present scholarships with a total cumulative value of Rs. 22.7 million, continuing a rewards initiative that has now been conducted without interruption for a quarter of a century. Since its inception, the Ceylinco Life Pranama Scholarships programme has benefitted 3,466 students across the country, representing a total investment of Rs. 240 million in nurturing academic achievement and outstanding performance in sports, arts and other extracurricular pursuits.
Business
Sri Lankans’ artistic genius glowingly manifests at Kala Pola ‘26
The artistic genius of Sri Lankans was amply manifest all over again at ‘Kala Pola ‘26’ which was held on February 8th at Ananda Coomaraswamy Mawatha Colombo 7; the usual, teeming and colourful venue for this annual grand exhibition and celebration of the work of local visual artists.
If there is one thing that has flourished memorably and resplendently in Sri Lanka over the centuries it is the artistic capability or genius of its people. It is something that all Sri Lankans could feel a sense of elation over because from the viewpoint of the arts, Sri Lanka is second to no other nation. With regard to the visual arts a veritable dazzling radiance of this inborn and persisting capability is seen at the annual open air ‘Kala Pola’.

A bird of Sri Lanka created from scraps of iron waste.
All capable visual artists, wherever they hail from in Sri Lanka, enjoy the opportunity of exhibiting their work at the ‘Kala Pola’ and this is a distinctive ‘positive’ of this annual event that draws numberless artists and viewers. There was an abundance of paintings, sketches and sculptures, for instance, and one work was as good as the other. Ample and equal space was afforded each artist. Its widely participatory and open nature enables one to describe the exhibition as exuding a profoundly democratic ethos.
Accordingly, this time around at ‘Kala Pola ‘26’ too Sri Lankans’ creative efforts were there to be viewed, studied and enjoyed in the customary carnival atmosphere where connoisseurs, local and foreign, met in a sprit of camaraderie and good cheer. Many thanks are owed once again to the George Keyt Foundation for the presentation of the event in association with the John Keells Group and the John Keells Foundation, not forgetting the Nations Trust Bank, which was the event’s Official Banking Partner. The exhibition was officially declared open by Chief Guest Marc-Andre Franche, UN Resident Coordinator in Sri Lanka.
By Lynn Ockersz
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