W. M. Mendis and Co

W. M. Mendis and Co, also known as W. M. Mendis and Company or Mendis, is a Sri Lankan beverage-alcohol producer headquartered in Negombo. The company is associated particularly with arrack, a spirit traditionally produced in Sri Lanka from coconut-palm sap, while its portfolio also includes blended and aged arracks, whisky, rum, gin, vodka, and other foreign-liquor categories. Mendis is described as one of Sri Lanka's older and better-known liquor manufacturers and as a pioneer in the country's distilling industry. Its products have served the domestic Sri Lankan market as well as selected overseas markets. Reported export destinations include Australia, Germany, India, Malaysia, the Maldives, Nepal, Singapore, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The company's recent history has been shaped by ownership changes, regulatory difficulties, and debt-related disruption. In 2011, Arjun Aloysius acquired a controlling interest through Perpetual Capital Ltd in a transaction reportedly valued at more than one billion Sri Lankan rupees. In 2018, Mendis lost its liquor-production licence after failing to pay government taxes, leaving the business unable to operate for an extended period. Although permission to restart was granted in 2021, that decision was reversed shortly afterward by Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. A further setback occurred in April 2022, when People's Bank acquired the company's distillery at Aluthgama after Mendis defaulted on debt repayments. The facility was reported to have a value exceeding 250 million Sri Lankan rupees. Despite these difficulties, the company resumed operations in November 2022. The available reference material does not establish the company's current ownership structure, exact production scale, current listing status beyond its former Colombo Stock Exchange listing, or the full details of its present distribution network. Named products associated with Mendis include Mendis Coconut Arrack, Blenders Choice whisky, Island rum, London Spice Dry Gin, and Rusalka Vodka. The brand's market identity is therefore anchored in Sri Lankan distilled spirits, with coconut arrack providing its clearest product association and broader liquor categories supporting a more diversified portfolio.

W. M. Mendis and Co is a Sri Lankan distiller based in Negombo and associated with the production of arrack and other alcoholic beverages. The company is described as one of Sri Lanka's oldest and most prominent liquor manufacturers, as well as an early participant in the country's distilling sector. Its best-known product category is coconut arrack, a spirit connected with Sri Lankan coconut-palm production. The business has also produced blended and aged arracks and maintained a wider portfolio that includes whisky, rum, gin, vodka, and other foreign-liquor products. Mendis has operated both for the Sri Lankan market and for export. Reference material identifies Australia, Germany, India, Malaysia, the Maldives, Nepal, Singapore, the United Kingdom, and the United States as overseas markets for some of its spirits. The available sources do not provide a complete chronology of the company's founding, early industrial development, brand launches, or export expansion, so those aspects cannot be documented reliably here. A significant ownership change occurred in 2011, when Arjun Aloysius reportedly obtained a controlling stake through Perpetual Capital Ltd. The reported value of the transaction was more than one billion Sri Lankan rupees. Later, the company encountered serious regulatory and financial problems. In 2018, it lost its licence to manufacture liquor because of unpaid government taxes. The licence loss prevented normal operations for a lengthy period and materially interrupted the company's manufacturing activity. In 2021, Mendis received authorization to recommence operations, but that authorization was reversed approximately one week later by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. The reversal prolonged the company's interruption and illustrated the importance of government licensing decisions to its business continuity. The company's financial difficulties continued into 2022. On 19 April, People's Bank acquired the Mendis distillery in Aluthgama after the company defaulted on debt repayments. The facility was reported to be worth more than 250 million Sri Lankan rupees. The available material does not specify whether the transaction represented a full corporate acquisition, a security-enforcement action, or a transfer limited to the distillery asset. Despite the licence, political, and debt-related setbacks, Mendis resumed operations in November 2022. Its named portfolio includes Mendis Coconut Arrack, Blenders Choice whisky, Island rum, London Spice Dry Gin, and Rusalka Vodka. The current source material does not establish a complete present-day ownership structure, current management team, official website, or the company's exact status on the Colombo Stock Exchange. Accordingly, those fields remain unspecified.

• 2022

  Aluthgama distillery acquired by People's Bank

  [1]W. M. Mendis and Coen.wikipedia.org

  People's Bank acquired the Aluthgama distillery after Mendis defaulted on debt repayments.

• 2022

  Operations resumed

  [1]W. M. Mendis and Coen.wikipedia.org

  Mendis restarted operations in November after its period of regulatory and financial disruption.

• 2021

  Restart decision reversed

  [1]W. M. Mendis and Coen.wikipedia.org

  Permission to resume operations was reversed approximately one week after it had been granted.

• 2018

  Liquor-production licence withdrawn

  [1]W. M. Mendis and Coen.wikipedia.org

  The company lost its production licence following non-payment of government taxes and was unable to operate for an extended period.

• 2011

  Controlling stake acquired

  [1]W. M. Mendis and Coen.wikipedia.org

  Arjun Aloysius reportedly acquired control of Mendis through Perpetual Capital Ltd in a transaction valued at more than one billion Sri Lankan rupees.

A heritage-oriented Sri Lankan distiller centered on coconut arrack and complemented by a broad portfolio of locally produced and foreign-liquor-style spirits.

• Coconut arrack

  Mendis Coconut Arrack

  The company's signature named arrack offering, associated with Sri Lanka's coconut-based distilling tradition. It represents the clearest link between the Mendis name and the country's established arrack category.

• Whisky

  Blenders Choice

  A whisky brand included in the company's reported portfolio. The available reference does not specify its formulation, age statement, production history, or current availability.

• Rum

  Island

  A rum brand associated with Mendis. No reliable source detail is available in the supplied material about its recipe, variants, launch date, or current distribution.

• Gin

  London Spice Dry Gin

  A dry-gin product in the Mendis portfolio. The supplied reference identifies the brand but does not provide verified information about its botanical profile, packaging, or release history.

• Vodka

  Rusalka

  A vodka brand listed among Mendis products. Details about its market positioning, production method, and current status are not established by the available reference material.

• 2022

  Debt default and distillery acquisition

  People's Bank acquired the company's Aluthgama distillery after Mendis defaulted on debt repayments.

  Source

• 2021

  Reversal of authorization to restart

  A decision allowing Mendis to resume operations was reversed approximately one week later by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.

  Source

• 2018

  Licence loss following unpaid taxes

  Mendis lost its liquor-production licence because of unpaid government taxes, causing a prolonged interruption to manufacturing.

  Source

Read more

• 2022

  People's Bank acquisition of Aluthgama distilleryM&A

  Background

  The company defaulted on debt repayments, leading to enforcement involving its Aluthgama distillery.

  Action taken

  People's Bank acquired the distillery on 19 April 2022.

  Aftermath

  Mendis later resumed operations in November 2022, although the available material does not clarify the post-acquisition ownership or operating arrangement.

  Reported distillery valuation. More than LKR 250 million (19 April 2022)

  Source

• 2022

  Resumption of operationsStrategy

  Background

  Operations had been disrupted by the loss and reversal of liquor-production authorization and by debt-related difficulties.

  Action taken

  The company resumed operations in November 2022.

  Aftermath

  The reference confirms the restart but does not provide current production, sales, ownership, or distribution data.

  Source

• 2011

  Acquisition of controlling stakeM&A

  Background

  Mendis underwent a change in ownership when Arjun Aloysius acquired a controlling interest through Perpetual Capital Ltd.

  Action taken

  Control of the company was transferred through the reported stake acquisition.

  Aftermath

  The later source material records significant regulatory and financial difficulties, but does not establish a direct causal relationship between those events and the 2011 transaction.

  Reported transaction value. More than LKR 1 billion (2011)

  Source

• 2022

  Operations resumed[1]W. M. Mendis and Coen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  The company resumed operations in November 2022 following the preceding period of licensing and debt-related disruption.

• 2011

  Controlling stake acquired through Perpetual Capital[1]W. M. Mendis and Coen.wikipedia.org

  M&A

  Arjun Aloysius reportedly acquired control of W. M. Mendis and Co through Perpetual Capital Ltd in a transaction valued at more than one billion Sri Lankan rupees.

1. 1W. M. Mendis and Coen.wikipedia.org