Unilever says Sri Lanka still well-poised for growth despite small market size

UNILEVER Sri Lanka pushed back against the long-held argument that the country's population of 22 million restricts investment opportunities, insisting that the country offers a far more compelling case when viewed through the lens of value generation, consumer behaviour, and category development.

- BY CHARUMINI DE SILVA

Speaking at the Sri Lanka Economic Summit last week, Unilever Sri Lanka Marketing Director Imeshika Kariyawasam said despite economic turbulence, Sri Lanka continues to be viewed positively within Unilever's global system.

“In the global Unilever eyes, we are performing better in terms of the relative size and the right-to-win side of things,” she added.

She acknowledged that size matters, noting that Sri Lanka is just “1.5 to 2% of India’s population” and “about 10% of Pakistan’s population.” However, she stressed that Unilever evaluates markets using several additional criteria beyond population alone.