Troy casually asked the workers what they were eating.

Without realising their response would create a new chapter in the company’s history, the employees replied cheerfully, “Mipela kaikai rais, em trupela kaikai” (we’re eating rice, it’s really good food).

The company secretary liked what he heard and decided that the words “trupela kaikai” would be an excellent brand name for a new rice product.

He told the employees of his idea and initiated a contest for a suitable logo to go with the new brand. The employees were told the winning design would be the new brand logo.

Before this, RIPL had used the Queensland Rice Farmers logo on the plain paper bags sold to consumers.

So the employees from RIPL’s Lae depot organised themselves to try their hands at creating a logo for the new brand and, indeed, the name of a new company.

RIPL was now setting itself to be seen as a Papua New Guinea company rather than Australian with RIPL’s connection to the Queensland rice growers.

After the different logos were submitted, the Sepik yam mask from Wosera District was chosen as the winning design.

The company signwriter, Jerry Philemon, a former primary school teacher and basketball coach from Bukawa, Morobe Province, was tasked to refine the new logo.

From the original winning yam mask design, Jerry added two arching rice grain stalks and the red, green and yellow to create the logo we now know.

At the 1983 Morobe Agricultural Show, RIPL officially changed its name to Trukai Industries Limited. It set up a stall to market its new logo, the smiling face mask, and the new brand, Trukai Rice.

The new logo and brand name were printed on cups, umbrellas, caps, shirts, laplaps and other items.

The new look Trukai Industries Limited also organised a float to drive around Lae showcasing the new logo and brand.

This marketing campaign saw Trukai taking out first prize in the company display category with Steamships having to settle for runner up.

Sales and Marketing Manager at the time, Simeon Rabusoro from Hanuabada, managed the promotion of the new look company.

So from what was Rice Industries Pty Ltd, Trukai Industries Limited with its distinctly Papua New Guinea face mask logo, vibrant colours and new rice brand.

It has become a highly visible national rice producer and distributor in Papua New Guinea and the Pacific.

As told to Raymond Sigimet by Maiyeh Bonguar of Museng Village, Drekikir, East Sepik who worked with Trukai Industries Limited from 1979-92, working his way up to depot supervisor. After Trukai, he went on to work with Coca Cola Amatil PNG.