THE MOST LOVED
LMD’S READERSHIP HAS ITS SAY!
Readers of LMD pick their most loved brands in a one of a kind survey
Having weathered one of the most turbulent economic periods in its post-independence history, Sri Lanka finds itself in a delicate and fluctuating phase of recovery. Businesses that once stood on the edge of survival are regaining some lost momentum – tentatively though, thanks to decisions being made by the administration, not to mention external pressures.
The aftermath of the economic crisis reshaped the business landscape, compelling companies to rethink strategies and prioritise operational resilience. With policy reforms and foreign debt restructuring underway, and a seemingly tentative return of investor sentiment, the backdrop is one of reassessment rather than celebration.
While macroeconomic indicators such as stabilised inflation and a resilient currency offer some degree of encouragement, the high cost of living and deep-rooted structural challenges continue to dampen consumer confidence, and undermine the corporate planning process.
Globally too, extreme uncertainty persists.
As geopolitical feuds and trade policies sweep across continents, brands – especially those operating in small and open economies like Sri Lanka’s – must surely be wary of external shocks that could derail their recovery efforts.
The 2025 Political Risk Report by Marsh remains as relevant as ever, highlighting the intensifying geopolitical risk environment – one which is marked by heightened volatility, uncertainty and an expanding array of possible outcomes.
According to the report, these factors now pose a greater threat to trade, finance and investment than in the past, becoming a more significant driver of both operational and strategic risks.
Businesses have learned that consumer trust isn’t won overnight; nor is it easily lost during a crisis if it’s nurtured properly.
But the recovery has not been kind to everyone.
Brands that failed to innovate, misread shifting consumer expectations or operated with a sense of complacency have struggled to survive. In contrast, those that embraced digital transformation, streamlined operations and reinforced their value propositions continue to find opportunities in adversity.
In this year’s wide-ranging survey of LMD readers, PepperCube Consultants assessed brand love across 39 sectors, focussing on four main segments: corporate, product, service and new brands.
The study covered a comprehensive range of sectors and industries – from automobiles (motorbikes and motors) and aviation, to beverages (alcohol, cold and hot), banking, building materials (electric and general) and pharmacies.
Other key categories include clothing stores and fashion, e-commerce (finance, retail and ride hailing), finance and leasing, home care, home electronics, home finishing, hospitals, hotels and resorts, insurance (general and life), oil, lubricants and gas, packaged foods (dairy, desserts, pantry items and ready to eat) and personal care (adult and baby).
Jewellery stores, mobile phones, quick service restaurants, supermarkets, stationery, telecommunications, tyres and wealth management services were also polled.
CORPORATE BRANDS John Keells Holdings (JKH) retains its top spot as the most loved corporate brand for the second year running. Long admired for its stature in Sri Lanka’s business landscape, JKH has been a regular leader in LMD’s Most Respected rankings.
Following JKH, Hayleys secures second place while Dialog Axiata, MAS Holdings and Commercial Bank of Ceylon (ComBank) round out the top five. Notably, the corporate brand rankings include seven leading banking institutions.
PRODUCT BRANDS Among the product brands, TOYOTA continues its reign as the most loved with Elephant House and Dilmah following in second and third positions respectively.
Maliban and Mercedes-Benz share fourth place. This segment comprises a mix of automobiles, food and beverage items, clothing and personal care products.
SERVICE BRANDS Dialog emerges as the most loved service brand with ComBank – also LMD’s Most Awarded winner in 2023/24 – taking second place.
The top five is completed by HNB, Sampath Bank and Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts, showcasing a strong presence of both financial and hospitality service providers in the eyes of LMD’s readership.
NEW BRANDS Among newly launched brands, BYD (the vehicle line) claims first place while Cinnamon Life secures the runner-up position.
ITC Ratnadipa, BAIC and Anchor Newdale WAM round out the top five in this emerging category.
SECTOR LEADERS The automobiles category is divided into two segments. In the motors category, TOYOTA helms the rankings, followed by Mercedes-Benz and BMW. For motorbikes, HONDA takes first place with BAJAJ in second and YAMAHA at No. 3.
SriLankan Airlines claims first place in the aviation sector, followed by Emirates, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines and Etihad Airways.
Meanwhile, ComBank is rated by readers of LMD as the most loved bank, ahead of HNB, Sampath Bank, Nations Trust Bank and HSBC. Other banks at the summit of the rankings include BOC, NDB, Standard Chartered Sri Lanka, Seylan Bank and People’s Bank.
The beverages category takes the form of three subcategories: alcohol, cold and hot. In alcoholic beverages, JOHNNIE WALKER leads the way, and is trailed by LION and CHIVAS REGAL. The cold beverage favourites are Elephant House, Coca-Cola and Kotmale while in the hot beverages space, Dilmah, NESCAFÉ and Watawala Tea take the honours.
The building materials category is subdivided into electric and general brands. In the electric building materials category, ORANGE ELECTRIC takes centre stage, followed by KEVILTON and ACL Cables. For general building materials, TOKYO SUPER, S-lon and INSEE Cement are LMD readers’ most loved brands.
Healthguard emerges as the top pharmacy brand while Hameedia is recognised as the most loved clothing stores brand in this new category.
E-commerce consists of three subcategories: finance, retail and ride hailing. In the finance segment, Combank Digital leads the pack while Daraz secures the top spot in retail. For ride hailing services, local service provider PickMe claims the No. 1 position.
Top brands in the fashion category include Emerald, Crocodile and Moose. In addition, LOLC Finance tops the finance and leasing list. In home care, Surf excel leads the rankings and for home electronics, LG takes the top spot. And in the home finishing category, Dulux claimed the No. 1 spot.
Among the hospitals, Asiri Central Hospital helms the rankings while Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts is numero uno in the hotels and resorts category. In the general insurance segment, Ceylinco General Insurance comes in at No. 1 while in life insurance, Sri Lanka Insurance Life leads the way.
Vogue Jewellers is the most loved jewellery store brand among readers of LMD while in the mobile phones segment, Apple is the leading brand. And CALTEX emerges as the most loved brand in the oil, lubricants and gas category.
In the packaged foods sector, which consists of four categories – viz. dairy, desserts, pantry items and ready to eat – Highland leads dairy and desserts while for pantry items, Harischandra takes the top slot and Maliban leads the ready to eat category.
The adult personal care category sees Signal taking first place while the baby personal care category is led by Baby Cheramy. KFC emerges as the most loved quick service restaurant brand among LMD’s readership. And Keells assumes pole position as the most loved supermarket brand in the country.
Colombo’s largest shopping complex ONE GALLE FACE MALL is the top choice among readers of LMD in the shopping malls category. And top billing in the stationery category goes to Atlas.
Dialog remains the leading telecommunications service provider while in the tyres category, CEAT Tyres secures first place. In the meantime, NDB Wealth Management is ranked as the most loved brand in the wealth management service 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.
Ultimately, brands that remain transparent and genuinely aligned with the needs of their audiences will be best positioned to weather volatility and emerge stronger. In a world where loyalty is hard won and easily lost, being real and relevant makes all the difference.
