MA’S Kitchen: Supporting women’s empowerment

As a staunch advocate for equal opportunities, MA’S Kitchen proudly declares that women constitute 68% of its workforce. Additionally, more than 40% of executives and managers within the organization are female. Women in leadership positions include Heads of Finance, HR and Communication, Factory Operational Managers, and

Heads of Production Divisions

International Women’s Day is an annual celebration dedicated to highlighting the global women’s rights movement, emphasizing issues such as gender equality, reproductive rights, and the prevention of violence and abuse against women. MA’S Kitchen, rooted in the cherished tradition of passing down favourite family recipes through generations, takes pride in honouring women worldwide. With four processing facilities spanning three regions, the company’s workforce is predominantly composed of women.

MA’S Kitchen strategically establishes its processing facilities in production regions, ensuring access to fresh raw materials and providing off-farm employment opportunities, primarily for women in local communities. Through these investments, the company aims to contribute to the international initiative to alleviate poverty by creating jobs close to the homes and families of its employees. Recognizing the pivotal role women play in community development, MA’S Kitchen believes that minimizing migration from these regions is crucial for sustaining the local way of life.

As a staunch advocate for equal opportunities, MA’S Kitchen proudly declares that women constitute 68% of its workforce. Additionally, more than 40% of executives and managers within the organization are female. Women in leadership positions include heads of finance, HR and Communication, factory operational managers, and heads of production divisions.

Following the 30-year conflict, our family-owned company committed to contributing to the national peace and reconciliation efforts by investing in a dairy processing facility in the northern part of the country, securing funding through an impact fund. By engaging with small-scale dairy farmers, predominantly women, the company plays a pivotal role in increasing income generation at the village level. The majority of employees at the facility are women who were directly affected by the conflict in the region.

In 2021, North Lanka Family Foods (Pvt) Ltd., a fully owned subsidiary of MA’S Kitchen, gained global recognition as one of the 50 best small companies in the world for the impactful changes it brought about within a vulnerable community, as acknowledged by the UN Food Systems Summit.

We extend support to our female employees by offering assistance during and after pregnancy. A comprehensive nutrition program, commencing from the third month of pregnancy, is provided to all female employees and the spouses of male employees. Expectant mothers receive nutritional support throughout pregnancy and for three months postpartum. Subsequently, the nutrition pack is adjusted to cater to the child’s needs up to the age of five. All employees are ensured at least one daily meal, and those residing at company facilities receive all their meals during the workweek. Couples employed and residing at our facilities are offered boarding and lodging for themselves and their children. We further contribute to education by providing school stationery annually to the children of our employees and partners.

MA’S Kitchen takes pride in its association with numerous young graduates through the graduate trainee program, many of whom have progressed to significant roles within the company, as well as in the global food technology and manufacturing sectors. Former trainees, now quality controllers, professors, and specialists in various fields, often return as visitors. The company empowers school leavers by facilitating part-time study, enabling them to qualify through national NVQ programs and work their way up to executive and management positions.

The company is rapidly transitioning to a more environmentally friendly business model, aiming to achieve carbon neutrality in processing operations by the year 2027. This transition is expected to benefit the rural communities they operate in by diminishing the reliance on gridsupplied electricity through the adoption of solar power. Additionally, the company plans to replace natural gas and oil fuels in processing operations with renewable sources. The outreach team actively promotes sustainable farming practices among suppliers, resulting in millions of rupees flowing into farmer groups through fair-trade premiums.

As MA’S Kitchen enters its next phase of development, it remains committed to engaging with village communities. The company will collaborate with women across the country, from the Deep South by procuring their organic coconuts to the central regions through the purchase of sustainably grown spices, and in the north by acquiring fresh milk. Throughout these interactions, MA’S Kitchen is dedicated to upholding the rights of women to an equitable life and continuing to contribute to the national endeavour for a better life for all.