Ceylon Cold Stores’ performance signals shift to frequent, frugal spending among shoppers

CUSTOMER FOOTFALL HAS INCREASED; HOWEVER, AVERAGE BASKET VALUE HAS DROPPED BY 3% FROM A YEAR AGO LEVELS

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Ceylon Cold Stores PLC (CCS), the bellwether for mid and upper-tier consumer health, reported increased revenues for the quarter ended in June 2025 from some solid performance in its supermarkets, as the customers increased their visits to the stores, signalling recovery in consumer spending.

The margins of its supermarket business also improved from economies of scale and also the use of advanced analytics through its supply chain, the company said.

The company reported total revenues of Rs.43.19 billion for the April-June quarter, which includes revenues from food and beverage manufacturing, up 13 percent from the same period a year ago.

The operators of Keells supermarkets reported revenues of Rs.35.69 billion in the three months, up 16.9 percent from a year ago.

The company said its earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) rose by 21 percent to Rs.2.45 billion. “The supermarket business recorded a strong performance during the quarter, with same store sales recording an encouraging growth of 13 percent, driven by a customer footfall growth of 17 percent. Growth was further aided by the contribution from new stores,’ John Keells Holdings Chairman Krishan Balendra said in his quarterly earnings review.