THE MOST LOVED
LMD’S READERSHIP HAS ITS SAY!
LMD readers embrace brands that are rising above the rest
Sri Lanka welcomed 2026 with a sense of guarded hope, having weathered some of the most volatile and challenging periods in its recent history. With debt restructuring progressing, inflation easing and the currency stabilising, the foundations of a recovery appeared to be taking shape.
But just as the country was beginning to regain its footing, a dangerous and uncertain global backdrop began to test the progress. Escalating geopolitical tensions – particularly in the Middle East – unsettled markets, raised energy prices and insecurity, and heightened supply chain risks, all of which can quickly reverberate across a small import reliant economy such as Sri Lanka.
In many respects, Sri Lanka’s challenge is no longer to simply recover from its own crises but sustain that recovery in a world marked by recurring disruption. For brands and businesses alike, success will depend on remaining agile, building trust and adapting swiftly to an environment where global events can put plans in a tailspin overnight.
This wider context is echoed in the 2025 ‘Edelman Trust Barometer Special Report: Brand Trust, From We to Me,’ which highlights the changing role of brands in an increasingly uncertain world. The report notes that brand purpose is no longer only about broad social promises; it must speak to real human needs, and bring stability, optimism and community into consumers’ lives.
Edelman also observes that brands are increasingly filling a trust void at a time when confidence in wider institutions remains under pressure. However, this creates greater responsibility for businesses. Trust is no longer earned through visibility or messaging alone but by means of relevance, credibility and meaningful participation in people’s everyday lives.
Here at home, the lesson is clear: as households manage cost pressures and businesses navigate uncertainty, brands that demonstrate consistency, empathy and practical value will be best placed to sustain trust.
In this year’s wide ranging survey of LMD readers, PepperCube Consultants assessed brand love across 45 sectors, focussing on four main segments: corporate, product, service and new brands. Several new sectors were introduced this time around including apparel, higher education (private), optometrists, pain relievers, plantations, professional institutes, real estate and solar.
CORPORATE BRANDS John Keells Holdings (JKH) retains its position as the most loved corporate brand for the third consecutive year. The momentum generated by recent innovations –including the introduction of BYD vehicles to the local market under the JKH umbrella and the launch of Cinnamon Life at City of Dreams – has helped the group reinforce its standing in Sri Lanka’s corporate landscape.
Hayleys secures second place retaining its ranking from last year while Unilever Sri Lanka climbs up to third. Commercial Bank of Ceylon (ComBank) and MAS Holdings complete the top five. Notably, the corporate brand rankings feature seven leading private and state banking institutions.
PRODUCT BRANDS Among the product brands, Maliban takes the honours as the most loved product brand with SPA CEYLON and TOYOTA following in second and third place respectively.
Elephant House, NESCAFÉ and SAMSUNG share fourth place. The category reflects a diverse mix of automobiles, food and beverage, apparel, and personal care products.
SERVICE BRANDS Dialog emerges as the most loved service brand for the third consecutive year while ComBank retains second place also for the third year running.
HNB takes third place, Sampath Bank is in fourth while Cinnamon HOTELS & RESORTS and SriLankan Airlines share fifth position. The results underline the strong presence of both financial and hospitality service providers among LMD’s readership.
NEW BRANDS Among newly launched brands, CITY OF DREAMS SRI LANKA claims first place while DEEPAL – a new car brand introduced to the country – secures the runner-up position. BING CHUN Sri Lanka and helago share the No. 3 slot while CAMPA and GWM round out the top five in this emerging category.
SECTOR LEADERS The newly introduced apparel category is led by MAS, and followed by brandix and moose. The automobile sector is divided into two segments: in the motorbikes category, HONDA helms the rankings, followed by YAMAHA and BAJAJ; and in the motors category, TOYOTA takes first place with Mercedes-Benz in second and BMW at No. 3.
SriLankan Airlines claims top spot in the aviation sector, while Emirates and SINGAPORE AIRLINES secure second and third place respectively.
Meanwhile, the banking sector is divided into two categories – viz. private and state. COMMERCIAL BANK is rated by LMD’s readers as the most loved bank ahead of Sampath Bank and HNB, in second and third place respectively. Among the state banks, BOC leads the category and is followed by PEOPLE’S BANK and NSB.
The beverages category takes the form of three subcategories: alcohol, cold and hot. In alcoholic beverages LION leads the way and is followed by ROCKLAND and JOHNNIE WALKER. The preferred cold beverage brands are Elephant House, Coca-Cola and Sprite, while in the hot beverages space Dilmah, NESCAFÉ and Watawala Tea retain the same top three positions as in 2025.
Meanwhile, the building materials category is subdivided into electric and general brands. In electrical building materials, ORANGE ELECTRIC takes first place followed by KEVILTON and ACL CABLES – unchanged from last year. In general building materials, INSEE CEMENT, TOKYO SUPER and S-lon are named by LMD readers as their most loved brands.
Under clothing stores, ODEL is top of the pops. It is followed by COOL PLANET and Hameedia. The E-commerce category is dominated by Daraz, PickMe and Uber.
In the finance and leasing segment, LOLC FINANCE heads the field with LB FINANCE in second place and HNB FINANCE securing third. Among private higher education institutes, Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT) emerges as the most popular choice.
Top honours in the home electronics category go to SINGER, LG and SAMSUNG. In home finishing, Dulux, DAMRO and Rocell secure the top three spots, and in the hospitals category, ASIRI CENTRAL HOSPITAL leads the rankings followed by DURDANS HOSPITAL and NAWALOKA HOSPITALS.
As for hotels and resorts, Cinnamon HOTELS & RESORTS claims the top position among LMD’s readership. Within general insurance, Sri Lanka Insurance GENERAL helms the category, while CEYLINCO LIFE is numero uno in the life insurance category. In the jewellery stores segment, Vogue Jewellers shines brightest while CALTEX leads the way in the oil, lubricants and gas sector.
And under the newly introduced optometrists category, VISION CARE is named the most loved brand by readers of LMD.
The packaged foods sector is divided into four categories – viz. dairy, desserts, pantry items and ready to eat: Kotmale tops dairy while Highland secures first place in pantry items. MD leads in pantry items and Maliban takes the honours in the ready to eat category.
Panadol heads another newly added category – pain relievers. The adult personal care category sees Signal coming out on top while the baby care category is led by Baby Cheramy. Ranked as the most loved plantation brand, WATAWALA emerges as the most loved brand among LMD’s readership.
Meanwhile, the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) assumes pole position as the country’s most loved professional institute. Pizza Hut is the preferred choice in quick service restaurants while PRIME LANDS earns top billing in the real estate category among readers of LMD. Hayleys Solar leads the newly introduced solar segment and Atlas is named LMD readers’ most loved stationery brand.
Keells takes poll position among supermarkets while Dialog remains the leading telecommunications service provider. In the tyres category, CEAT secures the top slot and NDB Wealth Management is ranked as the most loved brand in the wealth management category.
THE BIG PICTURE In today’s competitive and often unpredictable business environment, resilience alone is no longer sufficient. Brands must be anchored in authenticity by staying true to their purpose while adapting to ever evolving market dynamics.
Whether it’s economic headwinds, geopolitical instability or rapidly shifting consumer preferences, the ability to respond with clarity and consistency is what sets enduring brands apart.
