For half a century, Bairaha Farms has shaped how Sri Lankans buy, cook, and trust their chicken. From the early days of hygienically packed poultry to a broad portfolio of ready-to-cook options, the company has built a reputation for quality, safety, and care. Now, it is adapting again. As consumers demand healthier and more convenient options, Bairaha is expanding its value-added products and embracing digital tools. At the same time, it is investing in community initiatives and sustainability measures to reinforce trust and purpose. Yakooth Naleem, Managing Director of Bairaha, shares how the company plans to build on its legacy, feeding the nation while preparing for a more sustainable future.
Bairaha has grown from a poultry processor to a household name. What were the key branding moves that transitioned it into the consumer consciousness?
From its beginnings in 1975, Bairaha was more than just a poultry brand; it stood for quality and trust. As the pioneer of vertically integrated poultry production in Sri Lanka, we built credibility through consistent product excellence. We established large-scale poultry farms in the late 1970s, introduced contract broiler farming in 1986, and set up a modern chicken processing facility with freezing and cold storage in the early 1980s, launching packaged frozen chicken using advanced technology. When wet-market chicken dominated, we offered hygienically packed poultry known for cleanliness, safety, and convenience. National expansion through modern trade and regional distributors made Bairaha accessible across urban and rural areas, helping make broiler chicken affordable throughout Sri Lanka.
A consistent visual identity, with our distinctive redand-white packaging and uniform product presentation, strengthened recall and trust. We also developed value-added products like marinated chicken, sausages, and ready-to-cook items, positioning Bairaha as a modern, time-conscious choice. Our motto, Healthy Food, Healthy Living, was embedded across product development and marketing to communicate a clear promise of well-being. Finally, investments in quality assurance and traceability, backed by certifications such as FSSC 22000, ISO 22000, and HACCP, reinforced our scientific and ethical legitimacy. This transformation evolved steadily, grounded in reliability and continuous quality assurance.
To what extent has Bairaha’s brand identity been shaped by its value-added product innovations, such as marinated chicken and sausages?
Value-added innovation has played a transformational role in shaping Bairaha’s brand identity, evolving from a poultry supplier to a trusted kitchen partner that meets consumers’ needs for variety, convenience, and affordable pricing. Products like marinated chicken popularised homemade-style meals prepared within minutes, while the introduction of WOW-B fried chicken positioned Bairaha as a forward-thinking brand attuned to modern lifestyles.
More recently, we expanded our value-added portfolio to serve the HoReCa (Hotel, Restaurant, and Café/ Catering) segment, offering breakfast sausages for hotels and catering services, premium cold cuts like chicken ham and salami, and bulk packs of marinated or portioned meats for foodservice kitchens. These products deliver high standards of quality and food safety while aligning with our brand promise of Healthy Food and Healthy Living, enabling institutional clients to serve nutritious, high-quality meals.
This move into value-added and food service channels has broadened Bairaha’s brand relevance from household kitchens to the hospitality sector. It reinforces our position as a total poultry solutions provider, meeting diverse customer needs with consistent quality and care.
In essence, our value-addition efforts have transformed Bairaha from a simple protein supplier to a partner in meal planning, food preparation, and broader culinary experiences, strengthening trust across consumer and commercial markets.
How does the brand strike a balance between its industrial farming heritage and contemporary consumer expectations regarding freshness, nutrition, and convenience?
Transparency and control have always been our strengths. As a vertically integrated operation spanning breeder farms, feed milling, and retail, we manage every step of the journey ourselves. This approach lets us merge scale with strict standards, meeting modern consumer expectations for traceability, freshness, and food safety. Today, our operations are designed to be not only process-efficient but also ethical and responsible in production, supporting both traditional efficiency goals and the evolving demands of today’s consumers.
How effective are the Bairaha Help to Learn project and the Braille recipe book initiative in strengthening consumer trust compared to being merely internal or CSR gestures?
These initiatives go far beyond token CSR efforts. They reflect Bairaha’s belief in community well-being and help demonstrate a genuine commitment to both consumers and the public. The Help to Learn project and scholarship programme supports the children of employees by providing school supplies and monthly allowances for those selected to attend state universities.
Launched in 2021, the Braille recipe book for the visually impaired was Sri Lanka’s first Braille chicken recipe book and won the FMCG Retail Asia Singapore ESG Initiative of the Year award, with copies donated to all 18 schools for the blind. In late 2024, Bairaha introduced Third Eye, an Android app that acts as a virtual assistant for the visually impaired. It helps users recognise currency, identify objects through image recognition, and access the Braille recipe collection in an audiofriendly format. Equipped with object detection and voice feedback, it empowers visually impaired users to shop, cook, and live more independently, reflecting Bairaha’s consumer-first philosophy.
These efforts build authenticity and depth beyond surface-level gestures. Each initiative, from scholarships to Braille books and assistive apps, addresses real needs with meaningful impact. They broaden brand relevance by supporting both families and underprivileged groups while showing empathy as a core value. Recognition and heartfelt stories, along with awards, reinforce Bairaha as a socially responsible, purpose-driven brand, strengthening its market position and trust.
In an industry often judged on price, how does Bairaha defend and communicate a premium quality promise while remaining affordable?
We understand that in Sri Lanka’s highly price-sensitive market, delivering quality at an affordable price is more than just a strategy; it is a necessity. Bairaha upholds its promise of premium quality and affordability through a combination of communication and operational efficiency.
First, we ensure a consistent product experience. Our entire supply chain is integrated, from grandparent farms to processing and sales, giving us control over quality at every level. Besides, with a state-of-the-art joint venture feed-mill factory with facilities for drying locally purchased corn and with investment in a cultivation project for corn, we are in a stronger position not just to ensure better control over quality but also to ensure consistent supplies to our customers. This, together with nearly 50 years of heritage, strong brand positioning, and robust process controls, helps us maintain and reinforce our premium image, even when priced competitively.
Second, we maintain affordability through scale and efficiency by optimising operations through productivity improvements and leveraging economies of scale. Third, we use a tiered product portfolio to cater to different segments. For example, portioned and pre-cut chicken pieces meet the needs of value-seeking customers, while premium marinated, ready-to-cook, and food service lines appeal to more discerning buyers, helping us widen our customer base.
Finally, through retail and digital education, including in-store promotions, cooking demonstrations, and social media content, we help customers understand what sets Bairaha apart. By highlighting our farm-to-fork concept and investments in better systems to ensure food safety, we build confidence and help the market perceive value beyond simply chasing the lowest price.
What internal structures and governance practices have you introduced to maintain brand consistency during geographic expansion and diversification?
At Bairaha, maintaining brand consistency across diverse markets and product categories is rooted in centralised brand stewardship and clear operational alignment, supported by a focused and accountable approach rather than formal committees.
Our Brand Manager plays a key role in safeguarding brand identity by ensuring that all product innovations, packaging, messaging, and marketing campaigns align with Bairaha’s core values of Healthy Food, Healthy Living, no matter the geography or consumer segment. We also rely on strong cross-functional collaboration. While we do not operate with rigid brand committees, there is close coordination between marketing, sales, production, and CSR teams to maintain consistent tone, packaging standards, and positioning across retail, HoReCa, and export markets.
In addition, we work to maintain visual and messaging uniformity. From factory labelling to supermarket shelf displays and social media, we ensure that the brand looks, feels, and behaves the same at every touchpoint. In essence, our approach is lean yet intentional, with a focus on hands-on brand custodianship, strong internal coordination, and a clear sense of purpose, helping Bairaha stay cohesive even as we expand across products, platforms, and regions.
How is Bairaha integrating digital engagement, such as its online shopping portal and social media outreach, into the core brand narrative?
Digital transformation is no longer just a support function; it is now an essential pillar of the Bairaha brand experience. Our online store, for example, extends the promise of Healthy Food, Healthy Living by making products more accessible and convenient. The e-commerce platform, www.shop.bairaha.com, initially launched in Colombo, lets customers buy directly from the source with cold chain integrity and doorstep delivery, building trust by removing intermediaries. Its customer-centric design supports ease of use and product education, reflecting the demand for convenience without sacrificing quality.
Beyond e-commerce, social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram help build emotional connections through recipes, behind-the-scenes stories from farm operations, sustainability efforts, and customer testimonials. This humanises the brand and amplifies its purpose-driven identity. Our digital campaigns are integrated across platforms such as the website, email, and social media to drive engagement around festivals, product launches, and CSR initiatives, ensuring a cohesive brand story. Through these channels, Bairaha is delivering more than just poultry; it is creating a digital experience that reflects values of quality, care, and convenience. In a fast-changing market, this helps us stay relevant, reachable, and relational, especially among younger, tech-savvy consumers.
Looking forward, how will Bairaha evolve its brand around sustainability, food safety, and ESG credentials as consumer priorities shift?
At Bairaha, we recognise that the future of food goes beyond nourishment; it is about responsibility, transparency, and trust. As consumer expectations evolve, we are shaping our brand to reflect strong commitments to sustainability, food safety, and ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) standards.
We were proud to obtain the Greenhouse Gas Verification Opinion from the Sri Lanka Climate Fund under the Ministry of Environment. This confirms Bairaha’s compliance with ISO 14064-1:2018, which guides reporting greenhouse gas emissions and removals, and ISO 14064-3:2019, covering validation and verification. This places Bairaha among a select group of Sri Lankan agribusinesses measuring and disclosing their environmental impact.
Beyond emissions, we have been investing in renewable energy, such as solar power and energy-efficient infrastructure at farms and processing sites. We follow accepted animal welfare practices and ethical sourcing to ensure responsible and humane operations. Our food safety frameworks remain robust and certified under standards like FSSC 22000, ISO 22000, and HACCP.
As we celebrate 50 years in business, we are proud of how Bairaha has become a household name, known for quality chicken and pre-cooked meats as well as for supplying quality broiler day-old chicks to poultry farmers with the best traits and naturally selected genetics. Our journey will continue with a purpose: feeding the nation, nourishing communities, embracing sustainability and protecting the planet.
Further information about the 100 Most Valuable Brands in Sri Lanka:
Sri Lanka’s Top 100 Most Valuable Brands
Introducing Brand Finance and Sri Lanka’s Most Valuable Brands
Brand Valuation Methodology: Identifying Sri Lanka’s Top 100 Brands