About Food and Agriculture sector in Sri Lanka
The Food and Agriculture sector in Sri Lanka comprises 470 companies, including 8 funded companies having collectively raised $3.14M in venture capital money and private equity. Out of these, 17 are Series A+ funded.
Food and Agriculture sector in Sri Lanka has seen 12 acquisitions and 4 IPOs.
This sector includes companies engaged in traditional farming, food manufacturing and distribution, and offline food retail, including those providing services to such businesses.
Food and Agriculture sector is also known as Agribusiness, Agriculture Sector, Traditional Farming or Food Industry.
It includes traditional farming businesses and companies providing services to them. It also includes food manufacturers and distributors, and offline food and food retail chains. It excludes Companies providing software solutions to the stakeholders in the agriculture and food industry like farmers, food manufacturers, distributors, etc. It also includes companies providing them with tech heavy hardware and advanced and innovative materials.
Top Food and Agriculture Companies in Sri Lanka
There are 470 Food and Agriculture startups in Sri Lanka which include Dilmah, Elephant House, Akbar Tea, Pizzahut, Maliban Biscuit Manufactories. Out of these, 8 startups are funded, with 17 having secured Series A+ funding.
2026 has seen the creation of 3 Food and Agriculture startups in Sri Lanka. Over the past 10 years, an average of 8 new companies have been launched annually.
Here is the list of top Food and Agriculture startups in Sri Lanka
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1. Dilmah
Brand of teas. It offers a diverse range of blends that cater to various tastes and preferences, include, Earl Grey with Honey, Turmeric, Coconut, black, green, oolong, herbal infusion and Vanilla Tea, Ceylon Breakfast, Pure Camomile Flowers, Moroccan Mint, Blood Orange & Eucalyptus, and Green Rooibos with Coconut and Mango.
Key facts about Dilmah
- Founded Year: 1985
- Location: Peliyagoda (Sri Lanka)
- Stage: Public
- Tracxn Score: 55/100 What is this?
- Competitors Rank: 2 of 64 Competitors
Elephant House is a multi-category food & beverages company. Its products include ice cream & soft drinks. The company sells the majority of their products in Sri Lanka.
Key facts about Elephant House
- Founded Year: 1866
- Location: Colombo (Sri Lanka)
- Stage: Unfunded
- Tracxn Score: 44/100 What is this?
- Competitors Rank: 4 of 52 Competitors
3. Akbar Tea
Akbar is a tea brand. Their products include teas in the variety of flavours such as black, green, flavoured black tea, herbal infusion, ice tea and more. The company sells the majority of their products in Sri Lanka.
Key facts about Akbar Tea
- Founded Year: 1972
- Location: Colombo (Sri Lanka)
- Stage: Unfunded
- Tracxn Score: 41/100 What is this?
- Competitors Rank: 4 of 64 Competitors
4. Pizzahut
Key facts about Pizzahut
- Location: Sri Lanka
- Stage: Unfunded
- Tracxn Score: 39/100 What is this?
Key facts about Maliban Biscuit Manufactories
- Founded Year: 1954
- Location: Ratmalana (Sri Lanka)
- Stage: Unfunded
- Tracxn Score: 39/100 What is this?
- Competitors Rank: 6 of 52 Competitors
Companies founded year-on-year in the Food and Agriculture sector in Sri Lanka
3 new startups have been founded so far in 2026 in the Food and Agriculture sector in Sri Lanka. 16 Food and Agriculture startups in Sri Lanka were founded in 2017 - this is the most number of startups founded in any year in the last 10 years.
- Total Number of Companies
Year | No. of companies |
|---|---|
2026 | 3 |
2025 | - |
2024 | 3 |
2023 | 7 |
2022 | 9 |
2021 | 5 |
2020 | 15 |
2019 | 15 |
2018 | 11 |
2017 | 16 |
Stage-wise distribution of Food and Agriculture sector companies in Sri Lanka
Out of the total 470 Food and Agriculture companies in Sri Lanka, 8 have secured funding. Among them, 17 have reached Series A or higher, and 16 to Series B or beyond.
Founded - 470
Funded - 8
Series A+ - 17
Series B+ - 16
Series C+ - 16
Company Stage | No. of companies |
|---|---|
Founded | 470 |
Funded | 8 |
Series A+ | 17 |
Series B+ | 16 |
Series C+ | 16 |
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Funding Trends in the Food and Agriculture sector in Sri Lanka
Recent Funding Rounds in Food and Agriculture in Sri Lanka
In the year 2016, till April 2016, Food and Agriculture companies in Sri Lanka have raised $2M in equity funding across 1 round.
Here are some recent, important funding rounds in Food and Agriculture companies in Sri Lanka:
Company | Round Raised | Amount Raised | Funding Date | Investors |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Unattributed | 7555 | Apr 09, 2016 |
Top Investors in Food and Agriculture in Sri Lanka
Impact Investment Exchange is the top investor in Food and Agriculture companies in Sri Lanka based on number of companies invested.
Here are some top investors in Food and Agriculture companies in Sri Lanka:
Investor | Location | Top Portfolio Companies |
|---|---|---|
Singapore (Singapore) | - | |
Colombo (Sri Lanka) | ||
Cologne (Germany) | - | |
Bengaluru (India) | - | |
Malabe (Sri Lanka) | - |
M&A activity in Food and Agriculture sector in Sri Lanka
In the year 2026, till January 2026, 1 acquisition happened in Food and Agriculture sector in Sri Lanka.
Here are some recent, important acquisitions in Food and Agriculture sector in Sri Lanka:
Company | Acquisition Type | Acquisition Date | Acquirers |
|---|---|---|---|
Business Acquisition | Jan 21, 2026 | ||
Business Acquisition | Jan 11, 2024 | ||
Business Acquisition | Dec 28, 2021 | ||
Business Acquisition | Dec 28, 2021 | ||
Business Acquisition | Aug 09, 2020 |
Acquisition trends in Food and Agriculture sector in Sri Lanka
Here are the acquisition trends in Food and Agriculture sector in Sri Lanka:
- Total Number of Acquisitions
Year | No. of companies |
|---|---|
2026 | 1 |
2025 | - |
2024 | 1 |
2023 | - |
2022 | - |
2021 | 2 |
2020 | 2 |
2019 | 1 |
2018 | 1 |
2017 | 2 |
IPOs in Food and Agriculture in Sri Lanka
In the year 1982, till January 1982, 1 IPO happened in Food and Agriculture sector in Sri Lanka.
Here are some recent, important IPOs in Food and Agriculture sector in Sri Lanka:
Company | IPO Date | Exchange Symbol |
|---|---|---|
Jan 01, 1982 | Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) |
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Top News in Food and Agriculture in Sri Lanka
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Nowpay – Egypt’s Leading Financial Wellness Platform – Announces Partnerships With the World’s Biggest Names in the Food & Beverages SectorFintech Finance•Dec 20, 2021•NowPay, Pizzahut, KFC, McDonald's and 4 others
