By Randima Attygalle
Adding to the network of Kandos Shops, is the latest outlet on Pittala Handiya, off Dharmapala Mawatha, (end of Sir Earnest De Silva Mw/Flower Road) Colombo7. Strategically located between Ladies’ College and Bishop’s College, the outlet is ideal to grab a cup of chilled Kanvita after school or to get a box of handmade chocolates or cookies as a treat for buddies. Easily accessible by offices in the area, Kandos Shop is also a good choice for an office treat.
A cosy little hideout, it is also ideal to chill out with a friend over a hot cup of steaming cocoa-garnished latte or a cappuccino from their Cocoa Bar or to have a quick business meeting over Kandos’ signature Kanvita – either chilled or hot.
On an early Monday morning, I was the first customer at the newly opened Kandos Shop to be warmly welcomed by the friendly staff. Since then I have made several visits to it with my family and friends. Among the highlights of the latest outlet are the Cocoa Bar and the chocolate fountain. The skewers of which you have a choice between banana and marshmallow, glazed in thick chocolate, oozing off the fountain is quite a treat. The nut collection dipped in chocolate is equally delightful. It is quite easy to forget the calorie count lost among these palatable choco-delights!
Kandos for everyone
Despite being located in the plush quarters of Cinnamon Gardens or Colombo 7 which would dissuade ‘simpler folk’ from stepping into many sophisticated coffee joints in the area, Kandos Shop champions inclusivity catering to everyone. On each visit of mine, I would observe the interesting and diverse cross sections which would patronize it; from unworldly lovers who would giggle over a Kanvita and a bar of humble milk chocolate entwining their hands, to the savvy and the sophisticated who would patronize the premier range of Kandos-Dark, Hazelnut, Almonds and more and yet cannot resist the good old Delta toffee. That is the beauty of the brand; it transcends status. Kandos personifies ‘from the home-grown to everyone at home’.
Kandos-Orange- a time tablet
On my first visit to the new Kandos Shop, along with my all-time favourite Kanvita I bit into a rather odd choice- the orange flavoured milk chocolate. For me, this is more than a chocolate, it’s a time-tablet…
On a glorious bright morning, on our family estate in Chilaw, I was nestled among pillows in one of those ‘spring beds’ with its unmistakable creaky clatter, relishing a slab of Kandos Orange. I was three plus then, a few more months of ‘not-sharing’ to go, before my baby brother was to arrive. Everything was mine only until then, including Kandos chocolates…
Probably thaththa or atha (my grandfather) would have given me the chocolate. But looking back, it was rather a peculiar choice- certainly not among the top favourites of many. Yet, with its milky flavour and the bitter pungency of the orange peel, I found the chocolate to be quite a delectable experience. I could still close my eyes and travel back in time to that beautiful, sun-laden day when I devoured an entire slab of Kandos Orange, oblivious to the adult-talk in the verandah. The salty sea-wind was blowing kissing the coconut groves and my unruly curly hair while I was in a trance, savouring that bitter-sweet tanginess.
This is my oldest memory as a child that I can recollect…
I was afforded the liberty of many childhood indulgences by my atha. My wish was his command and probably chocolates fell within the orbit. Today when I see many young parents being over protective of their children to the extreme of making chocolate a taboo, I can only feel sorry for such unfortunate little souls and be thankful to my parents and grandparents who were liberal and logical enough to understand that chocolates are very much a part of childhood…
Chocolates continue to be my comfort food.
Taste of childhood- lama viye rasaya
Fast forward and back to the Kandos Shop more than three decades later, I was re-living that beautiful moment so deeply etched in me. Times have changed; the orange chocolate’s then wrapper from my childhood is no more, it has become modern with sugar and calorie counts endorsed to warn the unhealthy world we are all part of now… the flavour too has altered… yet the love attached to the brand still remains as young as ever… As the brand’s tagline in the vernacular goes, it is the lame viye rasaya… It is no secret that a slab of Kandos is often tucked into the bags of many Lankans going in search of greener pastures for that nostalgic taste of home.
We are children of a generation who grew up with this much loved Sri Lankan brand. The memory of the Kandos ‘Tin-Tin’ collection would still warm the hearts of many in our generation. Malli had an old tin full of Kandos stickers. The hit of the mid-80s- Night Rider which was telecast on Rupavahini, sponsored by Kandos was among the highlights of the week in our childhood.
The oldest Kandos Shop on Thurstan Road opposite Royal Primary is very much an inherent part of any Royalist. There is no chance to squeeze inside it once the Royal bell is rung. It’s only a mob of young heads. My own brother’s would have been among them often… A favourite hangout until the school vans arrives, it is oozing with young life to the collective resonance of ‘Uncle Kanvita ekak.’
A cup of Kanvita at 1.30 in the afternoon is manna sent from heaven to a Royalist or any other mortal. A friend of mine, now settled abroad calls it ‘Sri Lanka melting in one cup’… I couldn’t have agreed more. Whenever she is on holiday, Kanvita is on top of her bucket-list. It is neither iced-coffee nor chocolate milk shake- it is a blend of all this and little bit more which its lovers would try to crack with each sip.
A yummy journey of 60 years
With the Senator Sarath Wijesinghe at its helm, he was joined in by Dodwill Berenger, Eardley Perera (Snr) and Ashley De Silva to set up Ceylon Chocolates Ltd in May, 1962. The cool climatic conditions conducive to Chocolate manufacturing and access to the staple raw material- Cocoa, drove the board to select a land from Padiwatte in Kundasale. M/s Walker & Greig Ltd were the builders of the factory. German Chocolate Connoisseur Heinz Schaller was hired by the Company to set the stage for production. Machinery was installed by locally hired workmen under the guidance of Schaller.
When Chocolate production began in 1965 the Management solicited a suitable brand name for the product from the public through newspaper advertisements. However no name was acceptable to the Board. Thus it was decided to form the brand name by coining the first letters of the first names of the Board members! ‘Kan’ was derived from Kandy where the product was born, ‘Do’ from the first name of the Managing Director Dodwill Berenger, and ‘S’ from the first letter of the Chairman’s name, Sarath Wijesinghe.
In 1970 with the demise of its Chairman, Sarath Wijesinghe, his Nephew Upali Wijewardene, who was dubbed as the ‘Quintessential Entrepreneur of Asia’ who was expanding his business empire took over the reins of Ceylon Chocolates Ltd. With the acquisition of Ceylon Chocolates Ltd by Upali Wijewardene, the production of Delta which was a well-known candy brand in the country by then, was transferred to the Company. (Delta was being manufactured by Ceylon Sugar Company, formerly Rajaram Confectionery Company Ltd and when this was acquired by Mr. Wijewardene and absorbed into Ceylon Chocolates Ltd.
Kandos man
Cocoa always had special significance to Wijewardene. The singular cocoa tree which still adorns the Upali Group’s head office at Bloemendhal Rd, Colombo 13 and the tall mature cocoa tree which once stood at the doorway to the business magnate’s luxurious residence in Panthaihill Kuala Lampur in Malaysia which he aptly named ‘Cocoa Hill’ hold testimony to the fact. His expanding fully-fledged Cocoa processing plants and factories of the in Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand enabled Kandos to be internationally present and rub shoulders with Nabisco, Mars Cadburys and Hershey’s at one time. Interestingly, Wijewardene, an ardent horse lover named one of his thoroughbreds Kandos-Man!
Several generations have grown up with Kandos- one of Sri Lanka’s much loved brands. Many happy moments have been sealed and cemented over it.
Kandos is neither Swiss nor Belgian. Kandos is Kandos and it is loved by those who love it, for what it is- the unmistakable love bite of home…