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Esteem Magazine, 21/1/1, D. S. Fonseka Road, Colombo (2026)

10/06/2022

Barista Partners with the KOKO App to “Let there be Coffee”
Don’t Miss Out on Your Favorite Coffees… Just Pay in Installments…

‘LET THERE BE COFFEE’ is the latest initiative launched by Barista emphasizing on the magnitude of having a companion by your side to get through these difficult times. Barista is working on a series of new projects to ensure that the local community should not compromise on coffee at any cost as coffee could be the safest companion at such trying times. Partnering with the innovative KOKO App gives the opportunity to mutual customers of Barista and KOKO to pay for any purchase at Barista in 3 installments. This allows the customers to freely enjoy coffee, food and snacks without a hassle or any unwanted economical pressure, or to celebrate any occasion by splitting the cost in to 3 installements.

Barista Coffee Lanka (Pvt) Ltd. signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the KOKO APP developers dInnovation (Private) Limited on the 25th of May 2022 at the Barista Outlet at World Trade Center.

Chief Executive Officer of Barista Dilupa Pathirana speaking during the partnership signing ceremony said, “With the current volatile economic and other Macro environmental factors Barista wants our customers to not compromise on their daily coffee. We strongly believe that this option will encourage them to rally around the largest and the most preferred café chain in Sri Lanka, while not having to think twice about what it is costing them”.

Barista has been brewing the finest Lavazza coffee since 2002 in Sri Lanka and even amidst the uncertain time have continued to only serve the finest Lavazza at all outlets.

“Despite the challenges we have not opted for dropping the quality of our coffee or cutting costs. Our customers have been our greatest strength for many years and we do not want to damage the trust that customers has placed in us”, Pathirana added.

Barista products will be available for purchase the KOKO app as well and KOKO will be a new payment option at all Barista stores and online platforms facilitating the 3 installment payment opportunity. The project will be launched on the 10th June 2022.

Barista Sri Lanka

28/03/2022

When CBP is Gourmet

Whether it be entertaining friends or indulging with the family, an inherently Sri Lankan dessert like Chocolate Biscuit Pudding is a staple on any table. Fondly known as CBP the layers of crunchy biscuit and decadent chocolate cream is loved by all. In fact most families have their own versions of this classic, with twists of their own and secret ingredients.

Gourmet CBP is run by a close knit family with 2 small children and its priority has always been family-first. They’ve now expanded their range to so many varieties available in various serving size as well. We decided to try quite a few from their repertoire and were definitely not disappointed.

Our order consisted of Original and Mocha Cream Family packs which generally serve four unless you are like us and don’t share anything that has chocolate in it! Staying true to the origins of Chocolate Biscuit Pudding the original is creamy goodness sandwiched between layers of the good ol’ Marie biscuits. We like this one particularly because it’s packed with nostalgia and gives us lots of warm, homely feelings. If you want more of a kick and jump start from your CBP, then the Mocha Cream is exactly what you need. This one worked best for us when you have a deadline to meet and can’t afford to fall asleep!

Gourmet CBP also does decadent individual CBP jars in a variety of flavours. We got ourselves a Strawberry Swirl, White Chocolate, Brownie Bites, Triple Chocolate Ganache, and Milo Crunch. That’s a lot of chocolate but all very good chocolate!

If you love the combination of chocolate and strawberry then the Strawberry Swirl has a nice fruity surprise for you at the bottom of the jar. Bits of strawberry can also be found in the luscious cream so you have a flavour bomb in every bite. For those who prefer the lighter taste of White Chocolate, this version is a sure winner and since we have an “I eat only white chocolate!” weirdo in-house, needless to say this one was wolfed down in one sitting. The feedback was a facial expression that is hard to describe!

Kids will definitely love the Brownie Bites and the Milo Crunch because the added layers of chocolate will definitely have them all smiles. The bits of Brownie in the layers also serves to bring out the child in even the moodiest adult. Our favorite though was the Triple Chocolate. I mean can you even ask for anything more???? The layers were super creamy and every bite was heaven.

We loved our experience with Gourmet CBP and are thrilled that they have also just launched their own website so that ordering is a breeze. Try is out at https://gourmetcbp.appigo.co/webstore/

Gourmet CBP is also on Instagram and Facebook while they also carry out deliveries through AppiGo Rush, Ubereats and PickMe food. Operating from its home location in Battaramulla, they also have a small store at the Arcade Independence Square. Inquiries can be directed to [email protected] or via Whatsapp on 0777689369.

Gourmet CBP

23/03/2022

Perseverance is the key to success

By Ivan Corea

These days Sri Lanka cuisine in the UK is everywhere – you switch on the television, and you find expert Sri Lankan chefs coming up with fabulous dishes. More Sri Lankan shops and restaurants are being opened all the time. Tinesha Wijesuriya has set up a very successful online business called ‘Get Bake.’ Her orders doubled during the pandemic when people were at home because of the lockdown in the UK. I ordered love cake from her, and I must confess it was delicious. Her company delivers by post across the UK.

I interviewed Tinesha for ‘London Calling,’ where she explains what made her go into the food business in the UK.

Where were you born?
I was born in Colombo, Sri Lanka. My hometown is Welisara, Ragama. I was brought up there.

When did you leave Sri Lanka?
I left Sri Lanka in 2010. I had just got married, and soon after, my husband got a scholarship in the U.K to do his Masters. So, I moved in with him to England during that time.

What made you go into the food business?
It was my family and close friends who encouraged me. Initially I was just cooking meals for my family and they enjoyed it a lot. Then they encouraged me to start a business. They believed that others also would enjoy my cooking. I must say that it was my family’s support and my passion for cooking and baking that made me start the food business.

Who inspired you?
My inspiration was undoubtedly from my grandmother and my mother. Ever since my childhood days, I have watched them cook and have tasted their appetizing food. My mother learnt it from my grandmother. I believe that I take after both of them in terms of culinary expertise.

Did your school play a role in developing your interests in Cookery?
Yes, to some extent, my school in Sri Lanka did play a role in inspiring and nurturing my cooking skills. I went to St. Nicholas International Colombo. I remember our French teacher there, used to organize food fetes, and we used to enjoy cooking various kinds of food items for those school fetes. I should say that it provided a scope for me to experiment my culinary skills.

Who are your inspirational chefs?
I enjoy watching the videos of John from Peppy Kitchen and Jemma. They really inspire me.

How did you launch your food business in the UK?
I was in the habit of posting and sharing pictures of my food on Instagram and eventually I got many followers. Initially I used to excel in baking brownies and Sri Lankan delicacies. As my fans enquired, whether I could cook and start delivering the items throughout the U.K, I decided to start the business. My husband created a website for me, where I can take orders. It was the start of a new venture.

The business is going well. There are many returning customers who seem to enjoy the products. Now I am delivering brownies and Sri Lankan sweets across the UK, which includes the Sri Lankan love cake too. Customized cakes and cupcakes are for pickup and local delivery in my area.

What has been the response?
Overall, the response has been splendid, for both my online orders as well as my recipes on the blog. I get positive reviews from my customers and readers. Online customers enjoy the quality of the eatables and the reliable service.

What are the popular dishes?
The favorite sweet is coconut toffee, milk toffee and love cake. When it comes to my food blog, it is the Sri Lankan mutton curry and the rice dishes that are a real hit with the visitors.

How is the cake business going?
The cake business is going well, People seem to enjoy the Traditional Sri Lankan love cake the most. Other fast-moving items are cupcakes and birthday cakes. All the cake varieties are much loved and ordered by both the Sri Lankans and the other nationalities.

Which is the most popular cake where your UK customers are concerned?
Yes, the love cake is the most popular one, and I have got many queries from customers, as to if it is the traditional Sri Lankan recipe I follow. I believe the secret of the Love cake’s success is that it is my grandma’s flawless recipe. It is the same flavour that I have tasted as a small girl that I strive to recreate each time.

Did the Covid 19 pandemic lockdown in the UK hinder you or did it help your online business?
During the pandemic, I was able to connect with more viewers through my Instagram account and blog. More people had the chance to view my blog and try my recipes.

I also think that the people were more comfortable shopping online rather than go outside to buy, so I got more customers. As the mail and postal services were active, I was able to deliver my good-ies without trouble.

Is your family involved in your food business?
Most certainly, yes, it was their encouragement that helped me to start this business and come so far. From the initial days my husband has been helping me immensely, especially in developing the website. My mother motivates me and she also corrects any flaws, as she follows my blog posts and uploads thoroughly. My sister also encourages me a lot and gives me ideas. My grandma’s rec-ipes of course are the core of my cooking.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years’ time?
Five years a lot of time, and I hope to have more customers, my business would have grown to greater heights. One essential development is that more choice and varieties would be added for the buyers.

What would be your message to budding young entrepreneurs like you who have dreams of going into the food business?
If you have the passion, you can reach the goal. Never get discouraged if you fail initially, keep on trying, never give up. Do it with interest and nothing will be impossible. Perseverance is the key to success.

Will you ever open a bakery or a restaurant?
I do have plans and hopes to open a bakery or restaurant, but for now it is just an idea. I want to take it one step at a time. The current pandemic situation is not favorable for it. However, it could happen in a few years’ time!

23/03/2022

Colombo Club, Sri Lanka’s oldest private member club re-threads 150 years of journey mileposts

There are a few institutions that can claim to have had Governors of our Country such as Rt. Hon. Sir William Henry Gregory, Sir James Robert Longden and Hon. Sir Arthur Hamilton Gordon as original members. The Colombo Club, in its 150 year journey, has been attracting prominent persons of the day, such as J. A Bell, President of Planters’ Association, T. Berwick, District Judge of Colombo, Sir Richard Cayley, Municipal Councillor, later Chief Justice of Ceylon, from its British roots, later attracting corporate luminaries such as Mallory Wijesinghe, who had the distinction of being the club’s first Sri Lankan chair. He was followed by others who have helmed many of the nation’s leading business houses and professional firms.
The roll call of Chairmen of the Colombo Club reads like a veritable who’s who of Sri Lanka. R. Singleton-Salmon, Mallory Wijesinghe, Ranjan Canekeratne, Trevor Moy, Basil Jesudason, Deshabandu Reggie Candappa, Deshamanya Deva Rodrigo, Tissa K. Bandaranayake, Hemaka Amarasuriya, Richard (Dickie) Juriansz, Sega Nagendra, Manik Pereira, Nigel Austin to the current Kumar Jayasuriya, all captains of their industries, contributed immensely of their time and effort in maintaining the aura and prestige of the club.

First as a gentlemen’s club and now an exclusive, private member institution, Colombo Club remains a luxurious and discreet oasis in the heart of Colombo.

To mark its 150th anniversary, a coffee table edition that re-threads the club’s journey mileposts, reflecting how it fitted into the larger fabric of British Ceylon, as the Country transited from a crown colony to a democratic republic, will be inaugurated.

The book captures the essence of a bygone era and brings to life the culture and current offering of the club, vividly capturing the fact that the Club is not just a relic of Sri Lanka's colonial past but a strong reminder of our heritage and a reassurance of the future.

It takes us on a blissful journey on how the club started in colonial times and traces the economic situation of the era, to what it is today. The story of the Colombo Club’s journey over 150 years records the ups and downs, its place in colonial times and the emergence of a club for all seasons – one which is the exclusive domain of the nation’s crème de la crème in social, professional and business circles.

"Today, the club’s esteemed membership comprises the upper echelons of Sri Lanka’s corporate and state sectors: the club is their second home – an exclusive venue to relax, conduct meetings, and wine and dine in amiable company. It follows that the club can proudly proclaim that many business deals, which have transformed the nation’s business landscape, have taken shape in a private meeting room within its premises," said Kumar Jayasuriya, Chairman of Colombo Club.

With exclusive excerpts from life members - Deshamanya Sohli Captain and Deshamanya Deva Rodrigo from joining the club as youngsters to seeing it grow to the establishment it is today, the coffee table book is an illustrious and insightful outlook on the indefatigable spirit that sustains the club.

Originally set up as The Assembly Rooms Company in 1869, with Governor Sir Hercules Robinson as its President, the original building, now part of the Taj Samudra hotel is a heritage site. The Colombo Club itself was inaugurated in 1871 and is one of Asia's oldest social clubs with a membership of 500 of both men and women.

23/03/2022

SAVE MY SEA’ – A PASSIONATE INIATIVE BY TEEN CONSERVATIONISTS

By Uma Chandrasiri

Early this year, a group of like-minded teenagers came together to save the world, starting with our oceans and beaches, one piece of trash at a time.

‘Save my sea’ is the brainchild of 16 year old Siddharth Jha, an advanced level student of Elizabeth Moir school in Colombo who joined a beach clean-up 3 years ago thinking that it was going to be just a fun day out with friends. Little did he know that the pleasure of seeing a clean beach and the knowledge that seeps in that says you’ve made a difference, would pull him time and time again to littered beaches along with his friends.

While Siddharth and his friends continued with their efforts, one of the worst maritime disasters ever unfolded along Sri Lankas‘ West Coast between the 20th of May and the 2nd of June. The container ship X-Press pearl caught fire and sank in the Indian Ocean. The most significant environmental damage came from the sinking of 87 containers filled with plastic nurdles (approximately 1680 tons).

“ I felt helpless watching this catastrophe unfold and I think out of a keen desire to help in whatever way I could, ‘ save my sea’ was born. Very soon I realised the extent of the impact us teenagers could make” said Siddharth.

The first beach clean-up organised by ‘Save my sea’ was in July this year and volunteers worked on Mount Lavinia beach collecting not only the plastic nurdles that littered the beach but also, not at all surprisingly, loads of trash.

These wonderful volunteers donned their rubber gloves once again last month and plowed through an extremely dirty Wellawatte beach collecting a staggering 370 kilos of plastic, out of which 15 kilos were toxic plastic pellets. 250 meters of beach gleamed pristine after a dozen exhausted, rain soaked yet content teenagers left the beach that evening.

‘Save my sea’ works in collaboration with the Marine Environmental Protection Authority of Sri Lanka who has been assisting them with tools and resources. They have already received an international grant from the Bowseat Ocean Awareness’ Future Blue Youth Council, with whom they plan on collaborating with for many projects in 2022.

When asked whether I should try to lobby for grants and donations through this article, Siddharth tells me that even though such help is always welcome, he would rather create better awareness, make people understand the implications of careless littering and how even a handful of like-minded people can make a difference! If you are one such individual, do check out savemysea.lk on Instagram.

23/03/2022

Ride with the Wind

There’s nothing quite like taking in the sights and sounds of our beautiful island nation on a motorbike. For the guys at Bikerholics MC this is what they dream of. A passion for riding and anything to do with monster machines has brought a group of enthusiasts together for many reasons.

Bikerholics MC was formed in 2017 as a brotherhood of bikers who enjoy pleasure riding. They conduct riding events around the country for leisure purposes while also creating awareness for various social projects.

All members are bike enthusiasts with a passion for riding together. But don’t be fooled by the seemingly rough exteriors and personas of the riders. They are a disciplined group who always obey road rules. They ensure that safe and law abiding riding practices are constantly promoted while all riders have been made aware of the importance of safe riding.

When out on a ride standard formations seen in bike groups around the world is regular protocol, to ensure that other vehicles on the road are not disturbed. Despite the ability to do so, the riders do not perform stunts while riding and always make sure to cooperate with the police. They also refrain from unnecessary flashing of lights or honking of horns, which would disturb the general public.

For these guys, their bikes are their heart and soul and a lot of effort goes in to keeping them in good condition to ensure safe riding. In fact most of their day job hard earned money goes in to ensuring their “babies” are in mint condition.

But it’s not all fun and games. The brotherhood of riders is peaceful and are always ready to help any other driver on the road who needs assistance of any sort while also promoting various social causes during the rides. For instance the group are heavily concerned about the environment and follow stringent practices like carrying their own garbage cans and proper disposal of garage during rides.

As mentioned above despite the “tough”, leather-jacket wearing, beard-sporting, tattooed exteriors, bikers are really good human beings who enjoy what they do and strive to give back through their passion.

Bikerholics MC was formed in 2017 as a brotherhood of bikers who enjoy pleasure riding. We conduct riding events around the country for leisure purposes. All members are bike enthusiasts with a passion for riding together. We are a disciplined group of riders who always obey road rules. We ensure that we promote safe and law abiding riding practices. All our riders have been made aware of the importance of safe riding. We keep to standard formations when riding to ensure that we do not disturb other vehicles on the road. We do not perform stunts while riding and always make sure to cooperate with the police. We refrain from unnecessary flashing of lights or honking of horns, which would disturb the general public. Our bikes are kept in good condition to ensure safe riding and any breakdowns are handled without any disruption to usual vehicle movement. Our brotherhood is peaceful and we are always ready to help any other driver on the road who needs assistance of any sort.

23/03/2022

Animal SOS Sri Lanka

Animal SOS Sri Lanka has been caring for street animals in Sri Lanka for more than two decades and as the season approaches calls on everyone to extend a little joy to or four-legged friends.

The vision behind Animal SOS Sri Lanka came from seeing the suffering and helplessness of street animals in the country. Its Founder Kim Cooling visited the island 20 something years ago as a tourist and was deeply affected and upset by the suffering of the animals that she witnessed. Kim knew then and there that she needed to do something.

Twenty years down the line Animal SOS Sri Lanka is an UK Registered Charity and registered BOI non-profit making company in Sri Lanka. Its main functionalities include providing Emergency Veterinary Care and rehabilitation to animals in dire need, providing refuge and care to sick, injured, disabled, abused and other vulnerable animals that are unable to live safely on the streets, feeding around 3000 dogs and cats every day in the largest feeding program on the island, providing free neutering and rabies vaccinations within the communities, providing adoption/re-homing schemes, promoting loving kindness and compassion to our animal friends, and also providing employment opportunities to local communities.

“Animal SOS Sri Lanka is pro-life and we fight desperately for every animal that is brought to us. However, over the years one of the hardest parts of running the organization has been funding”, says Kim.

The Animal SOS Sri Lanka shelter currently houses 2000 rescues at the sanctuary including around 400 disabled dogs. The cost of their feeding and care programmes are mammoth to say the least. The organization has been funded by generous donations from animal lovers around the world but constantly finds itself needing more as cost of food and care continues to rise.

“We are also dealing with some entrenched and very negative attitudes towards animals. There are people who will say things like we need to help humans before animals. There are also many cases of animal cruelty or animal neglect that we have had to deal with in the recent past. The pandemic and lockdown situations have added to the problem with people being unable to feed their pets and abandoning them on the streets or letting them roam free. We also have to deal with too many unrealistic demands to take every sick/injured animal on the island in. We wish we could help them all but we simply can't” she added.

Animal SOS Sri Lanka has also been a campaigning for the enactment of the Animal Rights Bill and finds it unfortunate that the delays are leading to more cruelty and harm from humans. “It is our duty as the dominant species to protect those at our mercy from the cruelty and destructiveness of humans. Without effective laws, this is a huge failing and one that is having monumental consequences on animals and society as a whole. Almost daily we see the most horrific animal cruelty cases with no consequences at all. The perpetrators remain free to continue harming and killing with impunity. This is particularly alarming as there is a well-established links between animal abuse, family violence and even serial killers” Kim warns.

Communities and individuals who are concerned about animal welfare can help to support organizations like Animal SOS Sri Lanka by spreading awareness, donating funds, and supplies like rice, bedding, towels, volunteering their time and promoting the message about loving kindness and tolerance to our animal friends. With more support, these organizations can do more, expand their project, extend their outreach work and help many more animals in dire need.

As the season approaches why not consider making even the smallest contribution to make life better for these animals.

To Donate;
Commercial Bank
Galle Fort Branch
A/C 1050013061 A/C
Animal SOS Lanka (Pvt) Ltd
Contact- [email protected]
Tel-0773 110879

Animal SOS Sri Lanka

23/03/2022

The Victim and Witness Protection Authority: An important resource for victims of SGBV

Scope for assistance from the authority
The ‘Assistance to and Protection of Victims of Crime and Witnesses Act’ was passed in 2015, but since its passage, much of the discourse surrounding the law has been on the need for reform and so, little is known about the rights and entitlements the public has under this law and how to claim them.

The primary purpose of this law is to provide assistance to victims and witnesses, and in doing so the law sets out a host of rights and entitlements that these groups can access, and the mechanism for enforcing them. The nature of these rights and entitlements make it an especially useful tool to be accessed by victims of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV). Victims of SGBV feeling that they can safely report crimes without having to face retaliation is an essential part of tackling the problem of such violence, and the successful implementation of this law can set out the necessary conditions for this.

The law provides for a ‘National Authority for the Protection of Victims of Crime and Witnesses’, which was established in 2016. This Authority has wide powers to give effect to the purposes of the law. Among other things, the law recognizes the right of the victim to be protected from any harm, and in doing so the Authority can provide victims security, temporary accommodation or permanent relocation, and employment, subject to the availability of resources. Victims can apply for this protection if they have reasonable grounds to anticipate that harm will be inflicted on them as a result of participating in an investigation or inquiry into an offence or an infringement of a fundamental right, and this protection can be sought even before court proceedings commence. The request for this protection can be made to the Authority, to the OIC of any police station, the police division dedicated to the protection of victims and witnesses, or to a court.

The law also recognizes the right of a victim to be medically treated, including for psychological harm they may have faced. Where the State lacks the necessary resources to provide this, victims can apply to the Authority for financial assistance to obtain such services. Victims may also be compensated for the expenses that they incur in participating in any judicial or quasi-judicial proceeding relating to the offence or infringement of a fundamental right, or for any harm or loss of property they faced as a result of the offence. The Act also recognizes the right of victims to access information relating to the investigation or prosecution or to receive assistance to participate in proceedings. In the event that any other authority acts in a manner that denies victims their rights under this Act, the authority is empowered to step in to ensure that such rights are respected.

In addition to the protections given to victims, there are protections provided to witnesses who feel that they may be under threat for giving information or testifying, and for persons who lodge a complaint about offence or violation of a fundamental right that may be taking place in their workplace. Thus, the law seeks to allow even persons other than the victim the ability to make a complaint regarding an offence without fear, as they too are entitled to receive protection if they do so.
How to reach the Authority
Victims or witnesses can contact the Authority via Hotline- 1985, or call them on 0112 866452. Victims can also visit the Authority which is located at First Floor, 428/11, Denzel Kobbekaduwa Mw, Battaramulla. Further information on the authority can be accessed on their trilingual website at ‘www.napvcw.gov.lk’. Additionally, the Victims of Crime and Witness Assistance Division of the police can be contacted on 0112 326314 or visited at No 9, Mihindu Mw, Colombo 12. Section 3(f)(i) of the law recognizes the right of a victim to be informed of all the legal remedies (including civil remedies for damages) available to them, upon a request being made to the Authority or the Division at the police.

A Victim or a Witness may also request The Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) or The Commission to Investigate Bribery or Corruptions (CIABOC) for assistance or protection. These are all public institutions through which affected parties may directly seek assistance, and parties can also seek the services of an attorney–at–law to accompany them if they wish. The public must be aware of their rights and how to vindicate them, and this information should be shared with anyone who might need it.

By Attorney-at-Law Khyati Wickramanayake on behalf of the Centre for Equality & Justice

22/03/2022

Inside The Mind Of TammyZ

By Michelle Therese Alles

The name ‘TammyZ’ is no stranger to fashionistas of bling here in our sunny isle, so we figured it was time to sit down and ask her what it’s like running her own business, and how she’s grown her brand to where it is today.

Tell us about TammyZ

‘TammyZ’, formerly known as ‘TZ’, is in fact my name. I started TammyZ in 2013 because I’m an online shopaholic! My little addiction paved the way for TammyZ to become the brand it is today. I started shipping items for my friends who liked whatever I was wearing or styling. When the orders I received started increasing, I decided to make it official and TammyZ was created.

How does TammyZ stand out amongst its competitors?

TammyZ doesn’t compete with other brands! We always wish upcoming brands nothing but success. I would say a little competition is always good to keep us on our toes. All good ideas and brands are competitive; it’s their distinctive individuality that makes them stand out. TammyZ has been around for years, which gives us an advantage in dealing with our specific market, since we have the experience that gives us unique insights into situations, trends, and customer needs. We learned to keep track of our competition, but ignored the noise, because at the end of the day it’s not what the competitors do, but rather what we do that matters the most.

Did you have any concerns when starting TammyZ? If so, what were they?

TammyZ, like every other business, had a lot of issues and concerns at the start. We began selling our products at a time when online shopping in Sri Lanka was just taking off, and the concept of ordering items via a website or a social media site was alien to many. Therefore, we had to build confidence and trust amongst our customers, who were only used to purchasing from a physical store, and also retain these customers so that they would keep shopping with us. Today, with paid boosting options on Facebook and Instagram, reaching a target audience of customers is so much easier. This wasn’t always the case. Initially, marketing products online wasn’t easy when Instagram was new and Facebook marketing, boosting, pages and groups didn’t exist. We had to rely on good reviews and word of mouth when we commenced online operations. In addition, there were no delivery companies, and options like cash on delivery were not even heard of. Everything was a struggle. But I never gave up and I kept pushing through.

What has been the greatest achievement of TammyZ so far?

I think TammyZ is a brand that has gone from strength to strength. We appreciate all the lessons we have learned over the years. And even the smallest achievement means a lot to us. Every single customer, every single sale, is an achievement to us. We have had the privilege of having our products featured on the Miss World stage, on former Miss Sri Lanka Nadia Gyi, and many other beauty queens in world pageants representing Sri Lanka. We have been featured on cover images of leading magazines, and we have collaborated with so many local brands, stylists, video directors and influencers, all of which for us, amounts to our success today.

How did you, as a business, unclutter all the concerns brought by the pandemic?

The pandemic has brought countless issues to not only us, but so many businesses! However, as a responsible business, we believe in ensuring the safety of both our customers and staff. To do this, we follow all health guidelines issued accordingly; this has caused a temporary setback, but we know it’s the only way to move forward until we are able to live and run our business like we used to. We need to follow proper health measures, and understand that this is how we can move forward.

Do you think the time spent at home by people will result in dramatic changes in the fashion industry?

We can see it happening already: online shopping is an everyday occurrence, and we will keep adapting and implementing new operating procedures that serve our online clientele. From ‘live’ marketplaces on social media and virtual fashion shows to 3D store marketing concepts, we see the entire industry beginning to evolve and we are excited to keep up with these new trends.

What’s the most important thing TammyZ is working on right now and how is the brand making it happen?

Right now, the most important thing we are working on is tackling covid-related issues to the best of our ability. We already have a strong client base that has been supporting us right through our journey pre-covid and even during the pandemic. We hope to incorporate that with our social media presence to make sure our customers receive the best service that is safe and yet affordable during these difficult times.

TammyZ has come a long way. In the coming years, what would it like to achieve?

Our next plan is to take TammyZ to the international market. We have been working on this move for a long time. We have many international clients, and we would love nothing more than to be able to serve them better by taking our brand closer to them.

Esteem Magazine

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Monday	08:30 - 16:30
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