Kurakkan (Finger Millet) and Corn, grown in abundance in Sri Lanka, are two cereals of high nutritional value and containing optimum amounts of fiber and other dietary requirements but, except for some food items that require long hours of preparation. In our search for manufacturers of food items using Kurakkan and Corn, we came across a remarkable person who had conducted extensive research and development of foodstuffs containing both. Daily News spoke with Dharmasiri Alahakoon, Chairman and Managing Director of Cerestar (Pvt) Limited, - the manufacturers of Nutrimate products, to find out more about his innovative range of breakfast cereals and cereal products containing Kurakkan, Rice and other pulses.
Q: What made you interested in food technology?
A. Although I have an engineering background, I was interested in food technology from my early days. I think that interest sprang up through assisting my mother in preparing various food items and beverages at home. In the early days, we commercially manufactured some beverages using locally available fruits. But, the market reception of those beverages was not much encouraging. The attitude of the public was that, “Can you compete with well-established big companies such as …..?” But, we persevered in our efforts. Industrial Technology Institute (ITI), formerly Ceylon Institute of Scientific and Industrial Research (CISIR) and some well wishers also gave us a lot of assistance towards this effort.
Q: How did you get involved in the manufacture of breakfast cereals?
A. Ten years ago, I ventured out on my own and acquired a company manufacturing breakfast cereals using Corn, Soya etc, because I was very keen on preparing foodstuffs from locally available grains and pulses. I am grateful to the gentleman who started this company because, 10 years ago, he thought as I did and laid the foundation for this industry. I invested on this knowing the potential. That was the new beginning of Cerestar (Pvt) Limited.
In my researches, I found out that Kurakkan (Finger Millet) and Corn (Bada Iringu), grown in abundance in Sri Lanka are very high in nutritional value while containing sufficient dietary fiber. These do not contain gluten. So far, Kurakkan was used to prepare foods such as “Halapa,” “Thalapa,” “Pittu” and “Kurakkan” porridge. The preparation of all these food items involves long and time-consuming processes, which has become a hassle for today’s busy housewives. I was looking for an easier alternative and settled on breakfast cereals as a quicker way of delivering the goodness of Kurakkan, Corn& Soya, especially to growing children.
Q: Developing the process of manufacturing corn flakes must have involved in burning a lot of midnight oil, speaking figuratively?
A. Yes. Initially, I concentrated on one product. The company I purchased had several products but I concentrated mainly on breakfast cereals. Earlier, my platform was locally grown fruits. In changing over to locally grown grains and pulses, I had to perform lots of R&D. Then I introduced three breakfast cereal products, mainly concentrating on children. And I also introduced a breakfast cereal in a handy cup with a spoon in it, which is very helpful for busy mothers to feed the kids just before sending them to school as it only required just to add milk. This way, the child is assured of having a nutritious breakfast which enables them to have it even on their way to the school.
Q: Didn’t the COVID 19 Pandemic interfere with your plans?
A. Not totally. But it gave an opening for our new product - Corn Flakes. During the COVID 19 Pandemic when the whole country was undergoing lockdown, the government curtailed some imports. With the import restrictions, we had to work with what is available in the country. Now, if we are to survive, we have to stand on our own, without being dependant on imports. One may say that was the good side of the COVID 19 Pandemic; I saw new opportunities for locally manufactured breakfast cereals.
Q: What made you concentrate on manufacturing Corn Flakes?
Corn flakes are a very popular breakfast cereal, and we grow corn in Sri Lanka. Other countries also use corn to manufacture corn flakes and other breakfast cereals. We were lacking the proper technology to manufacture corn flakes. I did some research and read through technical publications and started manufacturing corn flakes in Sri Lanka. I also had to invest very heavily. The technology was improved by us. While developing the process, we had to destroy of several batches of corn flakes that did not meet our expected standards. Then we had to slightly vary the mixture and start anew. Overcoming all obstacles, we developed a product, I am happy to state that the people who did the sampling mentioned those are even better than imported ones. That was the silver lining in the dark cloud.
Q: What made you manufacture a breakfast cereal containing Kurakkan?
A. According to health sources, over 15% of Sri Lanka population are suffering from diabetes. Diabetes sufferers in the country include even very young persons. Unlike the other food items, Kurakkan (Finger Millet), is a very healthy food choice for people suffering from diabetes. Kurakkan flakes are ideal for young as well as geriatric people, as it is a product that can be used exactly like corn flakes. I am very happy to have set the benchmark for Kurakkan flakes, which is a product that is not available, as far as I know in any other country. People have developed various other food items using Kurakkan, but, I can confidently state that we are the first company to develop Kurakkan Flakes.
As I stated earlier most Lankans are used to consuming Kurakkan based products in the form of “Halapa,” “Thalapa,” “Porridge” or “Pittu.” All these food items require a great deal of labour and time. And in fact, today’s housewives mostly have no idea of preparing such food items. For a housewife, in the morning rush of sending children to school and preparing food for her husband, preparation of such food items from Kurakkan is impractical. Because of this, the consumption of Kurakkan has decreased in Sri Lanka. Compared to bread, which is a fast-digesting food item, Kurakkan is slow-digesting. Bread we have in our country is made out of refined wheat flour which has much lesser nutritional value and it of course digests fast. At the same time, bread causes increase of blood sugar levels fast but Kurakkan does not cause any rapid increase of sugar levels. And this the opinion of nutritionists. Even doctors recommend to avoid consuming bread and bakery products as much as possible for people with diabetes. Kurakkan has a lot of vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber and is also a high energy food. And, it digests slowly because it is rich in fiber content and is absorbed slowly, without giving a person spikes in his or her blood sugar levels. In my experience, when I have Kurakkan Flakes as my breakfast, I can work for longer hours without feeling hungry.
Though, the product is called Kurakkan Flakes, it also contains Red Rice, Corn, Soya& Oats which provide proteins, vitamins, minerals &energy. Oats are in fact an imported product but we decided to combine same in this product due its heart-friendly properties recognized by doctors and nutritionists. I am very proud of developing this healthy & nutritious product mainly using local produce.
Q: Most of your products are marked as “Not containing GMO, Wheat Flour, Gluten and Preservatives” What is the issue with them?
A. It is best to avoid these items. Gluten, apparently weakens the human immune system. In manufacturing corn flakes, we add a small amount of malt to counter the slightly bitter taste of corn. Gluten is present in very small percentages in malt. Other than that, none of our products contain gluten. Our range also has a breakfast cereal called “Frooty Rings” and a small amount of permitted colouring is used to give the impression of fruit. With this in mind, we try to avoid additives as much as possible.
I am much involved in breakfast products as I consider breakfast is the most important meal of the day. As we are always in a hurry we tend to neglect that meal, putting our health in jeopardy.
Q: Have you got anything important to say to Sri Lankan people?
A. Even though we got our independence 73 years ago, I regret to say that the mentality of our people is still a bit of slave mentality and the attitudes of our people have not got over colonial attitudes. Regrettably, we may have to face the same difficulty that we faced, when introducing our fruit drinks. Sri Lankans still think that all imported items are superior to locally manufactured items. I am sure that I will face the same problem with my breakfast cereals as well. People talk of patriotism and all that but, when it comes to their own choice & consumption, they always turn to imported brands for reasons known only to them. That is where the tragedy is. It makes me sad that our people do not value our own things. In Sri Lanka, except for the Veddahs’ community, I do not see anybody promoting their own things with pride. Only that community is proud of their own produce. They value their own culture above all.
Culture is very important. We must not forget our culture. But, traditions should be subjected to change. We should not go by the same traditions. If you take Kurakkan as an example, we have been making “Halapa,” “Thalapa,” Kurakkan porridge or “Pittu” from it. But, that tradition is not suitable for the present day. We must change. We must have something new. As in most present day households, both the wife and the husband are working and their life style is quite self-centered. So that they cannot have more than one child. In the olden days, women did not work and they had time to bear and bring even six, seven, eight or even 10 children. But, nowadays, even one child is too much as both husband and wife are working and they do not have enough time to bring up more healthy children. I am trying to do something for them by producing foods that are conveniently prepared. That is where I have placed my footprint for the betterment of the future generations.
No preservatives, MSG, genetically modified ingredients or any other harmful things are used in the manufacturing of Nutrimate products. And Nutrimate products do not contain any synthetically produced vitamins and minerals but, retain only natural vitamins and minerals present in them.
Our products are freely available in prominent supermarket chains. We are an ISO 22000:2018 compliant company.
Lastly, I still remember a slogan from 1960’s – “Siya Rata De - Siri Sapa De” (What is produced in your own country brings you prosperity and good health). I would like to remind all Sri Lankans of that slogan and inform them that it is also valid today.
Q: Finally, is there anything important you want to mention?
A. Yes. I would like to thank my wife and my daughter Rohanthi for the immense support and the encouragement I got and my staff, who urged me to continue in the face of repeated difficulties and supported our efforts right through out.
