IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, and JayKay Marketing Services (Pvt) Ltd (JMSL), a subsidiary of John Keells Holdings, are coming together to strengthen the Colombo firm’s sustainable sourcing initiatives and collection centres, including farmer cooperative societies and other farmer communities in the value chain and making the model replicable.

IFC will initially carry out a diagnostic study which will lay the foundation for future work with JMSL which owns and operates 37 modern format supermarkets under the brand names ‘Keells Super’ and ‘Super K’. These food and grocery retail outlets will facilitate securing reliable sources of high quality produce from the farm gate and set up collection centres in agricultural areas, as part of its “Sustainable Sourcing Initiatives” programme, according to a JKH press release.

Jit Gunaratne, President Consumer Foods and Retail Group of John Keells Holdings said, Keells Super has been working with farmer communities in various parts of the country in sourcing vegetables, rice and related products. IFC’s support in this effort to improve the productivity of “our farmer groups and to assist in streamlining the post harvest handling and the supply chain is going to add value to our business and help in making the model replicable,” he said.

IFC support to the food and retail sector of the JKH Group through an Advisory Services package is aimed at providing a sustainable source of income and livelihood, increase the quality of life, job stability, skills and social development of growers and producers in the rural sector by bringing in best practices in terms of quality control, post harvest handing, access to finance and supply chain linkages. .