A Sri Lankan food truck is now a 30-outlet brand in five countries
Abdus Salaam and his brothers put LKR 600,000 into a 4ft by 6ft truck on Marine Drive in 2019. Seven years on, Crepe Runner has 30 outlets, four national brand awards in a row, and South Africa next.
Sri Lanka's first blind MP wins a Commonwealth award for inclusive democracy
BrandsCliara took Sri Lankan essential oils and skincare to eight countries
Events in FocusFairway Colombo named official accommodation partner for Manhunt International 2026
FoundersYohan Rathnayake won Sri Lanka's first Hyrox gold, then opened FHIIT at Orion City
Events in FocusThe 28 businesses that won at the National Business Excellence Awards 2026
Number of the week
69The age at which Shan Sundaram started running. He went on to finish all six World Marathon Majors, then founded Jaffna Runners, where every event is free. The seven founders building Sri Lanka's running culture
Founders
All foundersBemal Gamage started Beverlee Holdings with LKR 60,000. It has now delivered more than 70 projects
A failed clothing business, no capital from his parents, and a design-and-build firm that finished its clients' projects through the crisis.
Ameena Ziauddin is taking a 30-year Sri Lankan frozen-food business beyond the island
A second-generation president, the Crescent range, and a ten-year plan pointed at the Middle East and South Asia.
Dr Anton James is the first Sri Lankan Fellow of the Psychological Society of Ireland
PSI's highest individual distinction for the psychologist who introduced regulated behaviour therapy to Sri Lanka.
Brands
All brands
A Sri Lankan couple grew their own peppers and built a hot sauce brand sold on three continents
Hotzy started in a home-built polytunnel during the economic crisis. It now sells in Australia, the UK and the UAE.
Cliara took Sri Lankan essential oils and skincare to eight countries
Heshan Edirisinghe left bulk cinnamon in 2011 to make the finished product. 90% of it is still made in Sri Lanka.
Two brothers-in-law built Chocoholics into a four-outlet Belgian chocolate cafe brand
Both had closed businesses before. The 40-seat cafe they opened in 2017 overflowed from the first week.
Events in Focus
All eventsSri Lanka's first blind MP wins a Commonwealth award for inclusive democracy
Sugath Wasantha de Silva entered Parliament in November 2024. The award came in Cape Town less than two years later.
Fairway Colombo named official accommodation partner for Manhunt International 2026
Contestants from more than 40 countries stayed at the Colombo Fort hotel as Sri Lanka hosted the pageant for the first time.
The 28 businesses that won at Sri Lanka's National Business Excellence Awards 2026
People's Bank, CDB and JAT Holdings led the overall awards. The full list by sector.
Explainers and lists
All lists
Seven founders building Sri Lanka's running culture
Project 42, Lightning, Run For Coffee, Endurance Lab, Jaffna Runners, Colombo City Running and Colombo Night Run.
The Colombo cafes that turned food, design and storytelling into brands
Eleven cafe brands, from specialty coffee in Fort to a 24-hour cafe and an anime cafe.
Yohan Rathnayake won Sri Lanka's first Hyrox gold, then opened FHIIT at Orion City
Eight years in corporate life, one or two clients to start, a gold medal and a new gym in Colombo.
The Catalist Weekly
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