Ranjith Prasanna Kumara (RPK) has been operating his business out of his home in Talawa, Anuradhapura since 2016. RPK grinds, packs and sells condiments and spices (chilli powder, chilli pieces, roasted and unroasted curry powders, turmeric, pepper, cloves, cardamom) under the label of ‘Ranjith Products’.
In addition, RPK holds a ‘day job’ overseeing the local distribution centre of a well-known beauty care products manufacturing company and also working as a cash collector for the same establishment. He also has a share in the family paddy land that he cultivates and has other lands planted with coconut and fruit trees.
His production facility is located in a separate small building adjoining his house. This facility is served by a dedicated three-phase electrical connection.
The facility is equipped with electrically operated machinery for the grinding of coarse grains (such as rice and kurakkan) and of spices (chilli, curry powder, turmeric).
In 2021, RPK was able to purchase a coconut oil extracting machine thanks to the support provided by I/D/E/A/S. Coconut oil extraction is now the mainstay of his business -- Customers bring him their own dried copra and are happy to go away with their ‘own’ coconut oil. Apart from the extraction fee (per kg of copra) that he charges these customers, RPK earns additional income by selling off the residue from the extraction process for animal feed.
His most recent acquisition is a specialised pepper-grinding machine that allows more precise control over the size of ground pepper.
His family members (wife and teenage children) participate actively in the conduct of the business.
