Nostalgic having grown up in tea gardens and being a descendent of its people, Durka Chellaram – Managing Director of Greenfield Bio Plantations, set foot on a personal odyssey in 1990 to transform it into a sustainable organic oasis and paint its people with smiles. Today, the company finds itself part of a huge family that seeks to give back to the environment and community at large.
What compelled you to embark on this venture?
My father was a spiritual person, and extremely passionate about organics and people. His vision was to create an agricultural system that is chemical-free, working with the farming communities, so that they can also lead more empowered and better lives. My father was privileged to have Dr. Ranil Senanayake, the father of organic agriculture and analog forestry, to guide him in this mission. A mission to enrich the ecosystem that is so vital for our survival on this planet. Seeing my father wake up each morning with this passion and determination was a great source of inspiration for me. I am now shadowing their dream, and taking it a step further.
How has the journey been thus far, and what were those ingredients for success?
It’s been invigorating and challenging. I joined the business 20 years ago, bringing a different perspective on value addition and marketing. Through the years, the single and most challenging time I have experienced is when Covid-19 hit. Our business plummeted almost overnight, when our supplies to airlines and restaurants were stalled, resulting in a 52% loss in business. Covid- 19, did teach us resilience and adaptability, the need to embrace change at a speed like never before.
Looking back at our growth in the pre-Covid phase, I believe it was all possible because we had certain principles and beliefs that were inculcated deep within us. We adopted a growth mindset culture at work. Humility; the fact that we are all equal on this planet, learning to appreciate and respect our nature especially the rich soil that we are blessed with as a nation, the ability to recognize the innate talent in the people you meet, not being afraid to make mistakes, but instead learning from them are I believe some of the core ingredients that have made us successful. As an entrepreneur, I have learned to win and lose in business, and I’ve been fortunate to have the support of all those who work with me, and of course, the farmers, who have always supported me in getting back.
What factors are shaping your industry, and how are you unlocking growth opportunities in a post-Covid world?
I’m in the ‘industry of agriculture’ and fighting the ‘industrialization of agriculture on a daily basis. The most challenging aspect is a dependency on climate and combating climate change. This by far is the most challenging.
It is a very people-oriented model. Growing consumer awareness on food and what it entails – the demand for transparency – has led to more testing of agricultural produce and value-added products.
We’ve had to slow down and realize the power of food security. Organic agriculture has seen massive growth globally. Virtually overnight, consumers shifted from restaurants and takeout to traditional staple ingredients and convenience food from supermarkets.
The global organic food market is expected to grow from $201.77 billion in 2020 to $221.37 billion in 2021 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.7%. By 2025, the organic food market is expected to reach $380.84 billion, with a CAGR of 14.5%.
As a company, our challenges have included global lockdowns, and we’re focusing on tech and digital solutions to overcome them.
What is your vision for the company?
My vision is to grow food in a sustainable way. We’ve shifted beyond organics and toward creating food forests. We pioneered the concept of regenerative agriculture in 2007, and focus on plant-based ingredients and dietary solutions.
People are a major part of our business. I want to empower the families of our farmers and all who work with us to achieve their dreams, tying in with the power of manifestation. As a business, if you can empower your people to have the freedom to choose their path in life, that is a success. I work with disenfranchised communities who fail to believe in themselves or that they hold the power to change. My vision is to alter this.
Where do you see the company in Sri Lanka’s 100th year since independence?
The president took a bold step towards going organic and implemented a national policy. Sri Lanka will be a pioneer in this aspect internationally, setting an example for addressing real-world problems – food security and climate change. Although we may struggle in the short term, the nation will make history, with this move towards a more healthy nation, by its 100th year of independence.
As a company, we’re fortunate to have embarked on this as early as 1990. We see our company as an established platform, a conduit for Sri Lankan organic farmers to go directly to consumers globally – implementing farm-to table, where global consumers can enjoy the bountiful produce of an exotic and sustainable Sri Lanka.
We look to make a mark as a pioneer, driving our purpose and generating real value for the planet by creating bio currency. Ultimately, all humanity needs is oxygen and water.
What does being part of SL@100 mean to you?
I’m grateful for this platform at a time when the country has implemented a national policy for organic agriculture. We need expertise to efficiently implement farm-to-table concepts in international markets.
What is the one leadership lesson you learned the hard way?
Change management in a family business; shifting towards a process-driven operation and implementing ERP. Resistance surfaces from the insecurity or fear of not being able to cope with technology, especially in a business like ours where there’s a generation gap in the leadership team. You have to build your tribe, which can be challenging given this gap!
What’s the boldest decision you made?
Going into value addition from only ingredients to packaged plant-based organic food, diversifying and expanding by introducing new products into our portfolio, and continuously evolving in the organic food market.
In addition, the decision to refrain from imposing any salary cuts during the pandemic, and continuing to maintain high team morale, steering the company towards balancing purpose and profit despite losing revenue share from hospitality and airlines/airports, and shifting towards ecommerce and modern trade.