KEELLS
On a journey of excellence
From being recognised for its trailblazing journey to change the landscape of modern trade in Sri Lanka and adjudged the Most Valuable Supermarket Brand in 2019, to winning many more awards and opening its 100th store, Keells has maintained a focus on providing value to Sri Lankan consumers.
Staying true to its core purpose of improving the quality of life of the people through a journey of retail excellence, Keells has continued to grow its presence since its entry into the retail sphere back in 1991 with its first supermarket at Liberty Plaza in Col- petty. Formerly known as Keells Super, the retail chain has set its own mark, innovating around its service offerings and building on global trends.
While freshness, customer service and value for money are high on the agenda, providing customers a convenient and enjoyable shopping experience is cited as the reason behind the many innovations of the retailer.
Embracing rapid advancements in technology, Keells lays claim to being the first supermarket to launch an online site for its products in 2002 while adding the convenience of in-house bakeries, and being the first retail chain to obtain Sri Lanka Standards (SLS) and Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) certifications, which are presently maintained across 84 and 91 stores respectively.
The latest roll out of an Enterprise Warehouse Management (EWM) system – deemed to be one of a kind in the country – suggests that the business is willing to invest in the appropriate technology to ensure that processes are streamlined to deliver better for Keells customers and make it easier to operate stores.
With the rebranding of its stores, the Keells retail chain took on an all new look in a period of eight months. To always be on the cusp of innovation, Keells has looked to revolutionise the retail landscape by offering Sri Lankan consumers an international level shopping experience, adding a range of services that offer convenience such as ready-to-eat meals, pizza, juices and imported products.
Freshness is considered a cornerstone of Keells, and Sri Lankan consumers have the opportunity to experience fresh produce that is brought from farm to store in 24 hours, and healthy value additions such as ‘never frozen chicken’ that have been achieved through collaborations with farmers and suppliers. The Keells Freshness Guarantee or double your money back policy aim to instil confidence in customers about the freshness of produce.
At a time when general household spending has surpassed the income generation of many, offering an extensive range of over 300 ‘own label’ products that maintain quality but at more affordable pricing is viewed as a positive move by the retail chain. In addition, the retailer announces extensive deals that enable cost savings week on week in a bid to deliver value for money to consumers.
In terms of giving back to the farming community, Keells practises a fair pricing policy sourcing vegetables and fruits from collection centres in six different locations across the country, which provides farmers access to markets for their produce while making it possible for consumers to enjoy the finest and freshest products at Keells outlets.
By employing over 5,000 youth from across the country and providing them the opportunity to obtain qualifications such as NVQ, Keells has sought to enable employment creation while developing skilled youth; and as a result, contributing to the income generation of thousands of families.
Moreover, Keells encourages a learning culture and has introduced an online learning platform that provides training through e-modules to all staff, which is accessible on mobile phones.
Keells says it has become the first retailer in Sri Lanka to make a bold commitment in July 2019 to reduce 50 percent of single-use plastic bags and in store prepared fresh food packaging by 2025. The second phase of this commitment, implemented on 10 January, included having compostable bags for the vegetable and fruit section, in addition to meats and seafood. This helps reduce the usage of single-use polythene bags substantially by bringing the total conversion of polythene to compostable bags to 35 percent. The concept of bringing your own packaging (BYOP) has been extended to bakery items from fish and meat, which was introduced in July 2019.
As a responsible corporate, Keells says it has undertaken to reduce its carbon footprint by installing solar panels to generate renewable energy at 53 store locations.
“This journey will not be possible without the support of our loyal customers, suppliers, the farming community, and the committed Keells team members both past and present,” affirms Charitha Subasinghe, President Retail – John Keells Group, who adds: “Where we are today is a testament to our vision and the efforts of all involved. We have always believed that if we have the right conversations with customers and partners, the best outcomes can be achieved.”
