From Maliban Handiya to the Nation: This Weekend, It Travelled Nationwide

Colombo, Sri Lanka: For generations, Sri Lankans had known the taste of Maliban. In a first-of-its-kind initiative, the brand took another deeply familiar part of its identity beyond Ratmalana: the distinctive aroma of freshly baked Maliban biscuits.

For more than 70 years, the scent surrounding Maliban Handiya had been part of the daily experience of those who lived, worked, and travelled through the area. Named after the Maliban factory located nearby, the junction had become closely associated with the warm and comforting aroma of freshly baked biscuits. It was a sensory memory well known to the surrounding community, but one that many Sri Lankans outside Ratmalana had only heard of, but never experienced.

To mark its recognition as the No. 1 Most Loved Product Brand in the LMD Readers' Choice Most Loved Brands 2026, Maliban extended this iconic scent to communities across the island through a unique nationwide activation.

The familiar Maliban aroma was recreated at selected public locations across Sri Lanka, including bus stops, highway exits, cinemas, and other high-footfall spaces. Across the island, specially designed scent installations using liquid evaporisers spread the unmistakable aroma of freshly baked Maliban biscuits, with locations such as Pettah, Makumbura, Kandy, Kurunegala, Galle, and Anuradhapura among those bringing the experience to the public. At selected highway exits, travellers also received specially curated packs of Maliban biscuits infused with the iconic "Maliban Suwada," creating a complete sensory experience that brought together scent, taste, memory, and brand familiarity.

The initiative transformed one of Maliban's most distinctive yet previously localised brand assets into a shared national experience. By bringing the familiar aroma of Maliban Handiya beyond Ratmalana for the first time, the brand gave thousands of Sri Lankans the opportunity to experience a place that had long been recognised as much for its scent as for its name.

Commenting on the initiative, Positha Perera, Group Head, Corporate Communications at Maliban Group of Companies, stated, "The scent of freshly baked biscuits at Maliban Handiya has been part of our story for decades. It carries memories of home, school days, tea tables, family gatherings, and everyday moments shared across generations. As Sri Lanka's Most Loved Product Brand, we wanted to take this familiar experience beyond Ratmalana and share it with people across the country."

The activation celebrated Maliban's long-standing relationship with Sri Lankan consumers and the trust built through more than seven decades of quality, consistency, and care.

By taking the Maliban scent across Sri Lanka, the brand did not simply recreate the aroma of freshly baked biscuits. It shared a familiar memory and turned locations across the country into warm, meaningful meeting points inspired by Maliban Handiya.

You Must be Registered Or Logged in To Comment Log In?

Related News

PARTNER CONTENT

HardTalk

A well-established public relations and communications agency based in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Founded in 2004, HardTalk provides strategic PR services including media and influencer relations, brand and product launches, crisis communication, stakeholder engagement, content creation, social media management and event support, serving both local and international brands.

Verified partner since January 2026.