Serendib Flour Mills (SFML), a leading wheat flour producer in the country, will invest on increasing capacity and product diversification next year to boost market share in wheat flour production sector in the country.
SFML, Chief Executive Officer Kevin O’Leary said SFML will introduce new initiatives soon with well trained staff, state-of-the-art technology and commitment to quality and consistency which have been the company’s hallmark and the key to success.
“We are focused on producing quality wheat flour for the dietary needs of discerning customers who look for the best in the food industry. We will never compromise quality standards and maintaining consistency in producing some of the finest stuff for the food industry in Sri Lanka,” O’Leary said.
SFML launched operations in 2008 and it currently holds a 25 percent market share supplying its flagship brand, the 7 Star wheat flour to bakeries, eateries, cafes, restaurants, supermarkets, home and industries across the country.
However, the journey of the company has not been a smooth sailing. The fluctuating global wheat flour prices often affected by the adverse weather in the grain producing countries such as USA, Canada, Europe and Australia from which the company sources wheat.
O’Leary said the taxes on imported commodities such as wheat flour along with the maximum retail price make the sustenance of businesses tough. The surge in global wheat prices in addition to taxes and trade regulation in the country makes matters worse for the wheat flour manufacturing industry. The government has slapped a Rs. 12 import duty on a kilogram of wheat.
SFML officials said its not only duties and price controls, the frequent power interruptions hampers the smooth operations and adds on to the cost of production.
When asked whether the country’s weather pattern is conducive for wheat flour production, O’Leary said the weather is not a major hindrance as there is relatively a stable temperature in the country.
With regard to medium and long term plans, SFML officials said that the primary goal and vision of the company is to focus on quality and consistency which drives businesses and enables them to be at the peak of success.
“Any one could produce and fix prices to products but producing quality products and maintaining consistency is not a cake walk. It needs skilled labour, advanced technology and commitment to be in the game,” O’Leary said. Serendib Flour Mills, a leading flour mill in the country is a joint venture between Al Ghurair Foods (AGF) and Emirates Trading Agency (ETA). The company’s 7 Star brand of flour is known for its purity, innovation, quality, freshness and expertise.
SFML Head of Marketing and Communication, Kalinga Wijesekera said SFML is determined to be the number one producer of wheat flour in the country and the preferred flour supplier to international markets.
SFML which has its state-of-the-art single line capacity wheat flour mill in the Colombo Port implements an integrated management system based on ISO 9001:2008, ISO 14001:2004, BS OHSAS 18001:2007 and ISO 22000:2005 requirements.
SFML, Chief Technical Officer Mark Healing said the pre-cleaned imported wheat is stored in 18 silos which has a capacity to hold 60,000 metric tones and added that a preparation time of 24 hours is needed prior to milling . 
The wheat varieties are blended to achieve the consistency and then initial cleaning commences to remove large stones, straw and other contaminants. The wheat is then tempered with the conditioned water which is a vital step in the production process and the water toughens the bran and prevents it from shattering during milling.
All wheat varieties are then brought to the same moisture level and are soaked for up to 24 hours followed by another round of cleaning to extract smaller impurities and then the wheat is weighed and taken to the factory floor.
Once the large particles of flour have been extracted the gradual break reduction process which comprises grinding and sieving the flour into more refined particles.
Healing said the flour is then blended prior to sending them to the on-site laboratory for testing. The blending process takes place in over 90 machines. One tonne of what grains yield 75 percent of flour and the bran and wheat germ which are left over are used to manufacture animal feed products.
The flour is packed in 1 kg, 25 kg and 50 kg bags for local and global distribution. SFML uses Buhler Swiss Technology which needs zero human contact. Stringent control measures are being adopted to improve the operations and productivity level. Internal and external audits are conducted to ensure global standards are met.
Bakers’ flour, household flour, rotti flour, biscuit flour, wholemeal flour, noodle flour, atta flour, cake flour and semolina are some of the products of SFML.
PICTURE COURTESY SERENDIB FLOUR MILLS