Lanka Sathosa starts modernisation

Sri Lanka’s largest state owned retail store chain commenced its long awaited high tech journey on July 28. And the Minister in-charge says the step by step digital transformation is part of modernisation of the huge retail network.

“We are now working on modernizing and computerizing Lanka Sathosa network” said the Minister of Industry and Commerce Rishad Bathiudeen on 28 July in Colombo.

Minister Bathiudeen was addressing the launch event of Lanka Sathosa-Reckitt Benckiser Sri Lanka “Tegi Wessa’ (Gifts Rain) join promotion event at Colombo’s Grand Oriental Hotel on 28 July where he also distributed laptops to all Lanka Sathosa area managers. The Laptops will be used by the Area Managers for instant demand forecasts and stock re-orders / renewals for their outlets from Lanka Sathosa central warehouse system.

“I am pleased to join another public private partnership event by Lanka Sathosa today” said Minister Bathiudeen and added: “The vision of the Unity Government is to safeguard the Lankan consumer. Lanka Sathosa is the country’s largest state owned retail network and we are now working on modernizing and computerizing Lanka Sathosa network. We will also fix CCTVs to reduce losses. The laptops we are distributing to the Area Managers today is part of Lanka Sathosa’s modernization efforts to bring the network upto standards of competition seen in our retail market. Lanka Sathosa plans to open 8000 franchise outlets with SME businesses in the coming year. We are also expanding the present the present branch network to 500.”

Lanka Sathosa’s annual sales turnover is now around Rs 30 billion. Almost 93% of its expenditure in 2016 was spent for capital development projects.  It plans to open 8000 franchise outlets with SME businesses in 2018 while expanding its present 380 branch network to 500 by December 2017.