Pelwatte Dairy

What Pelwatte Dairy does

Pelwatte Dairy Industries Ltd is a privately held Sri Lankan dairy and agricultural products company founded in 2006 and headquartered at 234/2 Galle Road, Colombo 03, with manufacturing operations centered on a Danish-technology spray-dried milk powder plant in Buttala. The Buttala factory has a daily handling capacity of 300,000 liters and operates above 90% utilization, making it the largest spray-dried facility of its kind in Sri Lanka. The company procures raw milk through a network of 60 collection centers supporting approximately 25,000 dairy farmers across the Uva and Southern provinces, dispatched by roughly 100 logistics vehicles.

The company's core revenue is generated through hardware sales of branded dairy products — Full Cream Milk Powder (in 200g, 400g, 1Kg, and 20Kg SKUs), Non-Fat Milk Powder, Skimmed Milk Powder, Butter (salted and unsalted), Ice Cream, Set Yoghurt, Drinking Yoghurt, Sterilized Milk, Curd, Fresh Cream, and Ghee — distributed through Sri Lankan retail and supermarket channels and exported to international markets. Beyond core dairy, Pelwatte monetizes adjacent agriculture verticals through Pelwatte Cattle Feed (General Feed, High Yield, Super Feed, monitored by the University of Peradeniya and the Veterinary Research Institute), Pelwatte Fertilizer (organic compost registered with the Department of Agriculture), and its wholly owned subsidiary Pelwatte Coconut Industries Limited, which produces coconut oil, virgin coconut oil, desiccated coconut, and coconut flour from a 17-acre facility in the Coconut Triangle.

Operationally, the company is ISO 22000:2018 certified, operates a proprietary Milk Condensate Recovery System that meets over 40% of plant water needs and reduces groundwater usage by 50%, and runs what it describes as Sri Lanka's first dairy-farmer pension scheme covering 30,000+ registered farmers. Monthly payments to dairy farmers exceed LKR 2 billion. The go-to-market is direct-to-consumer retail, supported by consumer loyalty campaigns such as 'Pelwatte Kiri Ithirena Miliyanayak' and export-market development. The company employs nearly 750 staff and is led by Chairman Ariyaseela Wickramanayake and Managing Director Akmal Wickramanayake (founding family), with 2025 additions Dilantha Fernando as Group CFO and Thushara Jayalath (formerly of Fonterra and Unilever) as Group COO.

Name

Pelwatte Dairy

Legal name

Pelwatte Dairy Industries Ltd

Website

https://pelwattedairy.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Pelwatte Dairy Industries Ltd is a privately held Sri Lankan dairy processor operating the country's largest Danish-technology spray-dried milk powder plant in Buttala, producing milk powder, butter, yoghurt, and related dairy products, plus cattle feed, organic fertilizer, and coconut products, distributed across Sri Lanka and select export markets.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Dairy Products Manufacturing

NAICS

Dry, Condensed, and Evaporated Dairy Product Manufacturing (311514), Dairy Product (except Frozen) Manufacturing (31151), Fluid Milk Manufacturing (311511), Ice Cream and Frozen Dessert Manufacturing (311520)

SIC

Dairy Products (2020)

akta.pro primary industry

Milk Powder, Condensed & Evaporated Milk Manufacturing (AFAKAKAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Fluid Milk & Cream Processing (AFAKAKAA), Dairy Spreads, Dips & Cream Cheese Manufacturing (AFAKAKAL)

Keywords

• Dairy products manufacturing
• Milk powder production
• Cattle feed products
• Organic fertilizers
• Agricultural inputs

Headquarters

HQ city

Colombo

HQ country

Sri Lanka

HQ region

Asia

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Dairy Products Sales: Sales of dairy products including Full Cream Milk Powder, Non-Fat Milk Powder, Butter, Ice Cream, Yoghurt, Curd, Ghee, Drinking Yoghurt, and Sterilized Milk. Products are sold through retail channels across Sri Lanka and are also exported to international markets.
2. Cattle Feed Products: Production and sale of cattle feed products including General Feed, High Yield, and Pelwatte Super Feed. Products undergo robust monitoring by experts from the University of Peradeniya and the Veterinary Research Institute.
3. Organic Fertilizer: Production and sale of organic fertilizers manufactured from cattle waste, poultry waste, used tea leaves, plant waste, carbonated paddy husk, and Eppawala Rock Phosphate (ERP). Registered with the Department of Agriculture's special unit for organic fertilizers.
4. Coconut Products: Pelwatte Coconut Industries Limited produces coconut oil, virgin coconut oil, desiccated coconut, and coconut flour from their 17-acre facility in Sri Lanka's Coconut Triangle.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Pelwatte Dairy Industries Ltd manufactures and sells a diverse range of dairy products including Full Cream Milk Powder, Non-Fat Milk Powder, Butter (salted and unsalted), Skimmed Milk Powder, Ice Cream, Set Yoghurt, Drinking Yoghurt, Sterilized Milk, Curd, Fresh Cream, and Ghee. The company operates the largest Danish-technology spray-dried milk powder plant in Sri Lanka with 300,000 liters/day handling capacity. It also produces cattle feed (General Feed, High Yield, Pelwatte Super Feed) and organic fertilizers, and its subsidiary Pelwatte Coconut Industries Limited manufactures coconut oil, virgin coconut oil, desiccated coconut, and coconut flour.

Product overview

Pelwatte Dairy Industries Ltd operates as a multi-category dairy and agricultural company offering a diverse portfolio of products. The core dairy offerings include Full Cream Milk Powder (available in 200g, 400g, 1Kg, and 20Kg SKUs), Non-Fat Milk Powder, Butter (salted and unsalted varieties), Skimmed Milk Powder, Ice Cream, Set Yoghurt, Drinking Yoghurt, Sterilized Milk, Curd, Fresh Cream, and Ghee. Beyond dairy, the company offers ancillary agricultural products including Pelwatte Cattle Feed (with General Feed, High Yield, and Super Feed variants) and Pelwatte Fertilizer (organic compost). Additionally, Pelwatte Coconut Industries Limited produces coconut-based products including Coconut Oil, Virgin Coconut Oil, Desiccated Coconut, and Coconut Flour from their 17-acre facility in the Coconut Triangle.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Pelwatte Coconut Industries Limited: Subsidiary producing coconut-based products including coconut oil, virgin coconut oil, desiccated coconut, and coconut flour from their 17-acre facility in Sri Lanka's Coconut Triangle.
• Pelwatte Cattle Feed
• Pelwatte Fertilizer

Products and services

• Full Cream Milk Powder Full cream milk powder produced from fresh milk collected from local Sri Lankan dairy farmers, enriched with Amino Acids, Calcium, Vitamin A, and Vitamin D; available in 200g, 400g, 1Kg, and 20Kg SKUs for household consumption.
• Non-Fat Milk Powder Skimmed/non-fat milk powder produced from fresh local Sri Lankan milk with preserved nutritional value, targeted at households seeking lower-fat dairy options.
• Butter (Salted and Unsalted) Dairy butter made from fresh local Sri Lankan milk, available in salted and unsalted variants for household and food preparation use.
• Skimmed Milk Powder Skimmed milk powder produced at the Buttala factory with 300,000 liter daily handling capacity as part of the dairy product range.
• Ice Cream Ice cream product line produced at the Pelwatte factory as part of the diverse dairy product range for household and consumer consumption.
• Set Yoghurt Set yoghurt product produced as part of the diverse dairy product range at the Pelwatte factory.
• Drinking Yoghurt Drinking yoghurt produced as part of the diverse dairy product range at the Pelwatte factory for on-the-go consumer consumption.
• Sterilized Milk Sterilized milk product produced as part of the diverse dairy product range, suitable for ambient storage and household use.
• Curd Curd product produced as part of the diverse dairy product range at the Pelwatte factory.
• Fresh Cream Fresh cream product produced as part of the diverse dairy product range at the Pelwatte factory.
• Ghee Ghee (clarified butter) product produced as part of the diverse dairy product range at the Pelwatte factory.
• Pelwatte Cattle Feed Agricultural cattle feed product trusted by farms in Sri Lanka since 2006, including General Feed, High Yield, and Pelwatte Super Feed variants; monitored by experts from the University of Peradeniya and the Veterinary Research Institute.
• Pelwatte Fertilizer (Organic) Organic fertilizer manufactured from cattle waste, poultry waste, used tea leaves, plant waste, carbonated paddy husk, and Eppawala Rock Phosphate (ERP); registered with the Department of Agriculture's special unit for organic fertilizers.
• Pelwatte Coconut Industries - Coconut Oil Coconut oil produced at the 17-acre Pelwatte Coconut Industries Limited facility located in Sri Lanka's Coconut Triangle.
• Pelwatte Coconut Industries - Virgin Coconut Oil Virgin coconut oil product under the Pelwatte Coconut Industries Limited brand, produced at the Coconut Triangle facility.
• Pelwatte Coconut Industries - Desiccated Coconut Desiccated coconut product under the Pelwatte Coconut Industries Limited brand, produced at the Coconut Triangle facility.
• Pelwatte Coconut Industries - Coconut Flour Coconut flour product under the Pelwatte Coconut Industries Limited brand, produced at the Coconut Triangle facility.

Quantifiable outcome

• Monthly payments to dairy farmers exceed LKR 2 billion
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Solidaridad Asia NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2022Partnership with Solidaridad Asia Network, funded by Australian Government's DFAT and Partners for International Business (PIB) of Netherlands, for the project 'Inclusion of Women in the Formal Dairy Supply Chain for Economic Empowerment of Women Diary Farmers.' The project has empowered over 150 women farmers by providing training, technological advancements (including a 2200L chilling tank and QR code-based milk procurement system), and financial support. Pelwatte Dairy committed to fair pricing for milk sourced from local farmers and provided material support including grass-cutting machines and cattle sheds.
• DFAT (Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Australia)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2022Funding partner through the Australian Government for the women dairy farmer empowerment project with Solidaridad Asia Network. The project focuses on economic empowerment of women in the dairy sector, providing training, technology, and financial support to enhance productivity and livelihoods.
• PIB (Partners for International Business) of NetherlandscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2022Funding partner for the women dairy farmer empowerment project in partnership with Solidaridad Asia Network. The initiative aims to empower women farmers and modernize the dairy supply chain in Sri Lanka.
• University of PeradeniyaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerExperts from the University of Peradeniya provide monitoring and quality assurance for Pelwatte Cattle Feed products, ensuring high nutritional value and product quality for livestock.
• Veterinary Research InstituteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides expert monitoring for Pelwatte Cattle Feed products, ensuring products meet quality standards and deliver best results for farmers' livestock health and productivity.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Fonterra Co-operative Group: World's largest dairy exporter, source of the COO's prior experience, and global benchmark for spray-dried milk powder operations directly comparable in technology and process to Pelwatte's Buttala plant.
• Danone: Global dairy and plant-based nutrition major with a comparable portfolio of yoghurt, milk, and dairy-based beverages; useful comp for Pelwatte's premium and category-extension strategy.
• Lactalis: World's largest dairy group with deep presence in milk powder, butter, and cheese — the closest global comp for Pelwatte's milk powder-led, multi-SKU dairy portfolio.
• Arla Foods: Global dairy co-operative operating large-scale spray-drying and butter manufacturing, comparable to Pelwatte in production technology and multi-category dairy portfolio structure.
• Nestlé Lanka: Subsidiary of the global packaged-foods giant competing with Pelwatte primarily in milk powder and dairy-based beverages through deep retail penetration and brand scale in Sri Lanka.

Direct peers

• Ambewela Dairy Products: Sri Lankan dairy company operating integrated farms and processing plants for fluid milk, yoghurt, and ice cream; competes head-to-head with Pelwatte for Sri Lankan household dairy spend and smallholder milk supply.
• Milco (Milk Industries of Lanka): Sri Lanka's other major domestic dairy processor, directly competing with Pelwatte in fluid milk, yoghurt, and dairy products for Sri Lankan households via similar retail and supermarket channels.
• Rich Life Dairies: Sri Lankan dairy processor offering fluid milk, yoghurt, and flavoured dairy products to retail and foodservice customers, directly competing with Pelwatte in the domestic CPG dairy category.
• Ceylon Cold Stores (Elephant House Dairy): Sri Lankan household name in dairy and ice cream under the Elephant House brand, directly overlapping Pelwatte's product portfolio in milk, ice cream, and flavoured yoghurt across the same domestic retail footprint.
• Kotmale Dairy Products: Sri Lankan dairy processor producing fresh milk, flavoured milk, yoghurt, and curd for the domestic retail market, directly competing with Pelwatte across multiple core SKUs.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/PelwatteDairy
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/pelwatte-dairy

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Pelwatte Dairy