Nestlé Zimbabwe exports up 50%

Nestlé Zimbabwe exports up 50%
Published: 16 February 2018
Nestlé Zimbabwe's exports went up 50% in 2017 from the prior year on the back of increased production from its filling and packaging production lines commissioned last year.

The company's manufacturing lines were last year funded from a US$30 million investment programme that began in 2011.

Nestlé produces Cerevita 30 gramme sachets, Cerevita flakes with milk 45g, Cremora 40g tea sachets and Nestle Everyday tea 25g packs.

Nestlé MD for Zimbabwe, Zambia and Malawi Ben Ndiaye told businessdigest this week that the product lines had also enabled the company to export to Zambia and Malawi

"The products have helped us produce several products we are now beginning to export improve our exports. So far we have managed to increase our exports by 50% and we are now exporting to Zambia and Malawi. We believe that Zimbabwe can be a good hub for manufacturing in the Equatorial region. Given the opportunity, I would also look beyond the Africa for exports," he said.

Ndiaye also indicated that Nestlé had injected a total of US$38 million in the last eight years in plant refurbishments and upgrades while more than US$1 million has been channelled towards laboratory renovation and equipment.

Meanwhile, Ndiaye said his company was leveraging on private-public partnerships (PPPs) in line with the new administration's ease of doing business reforms in the country.

"This is an area in the business we as a private sector, we consider also the public stakeholders who are in charge of helping us to do business I really think that's the way for ease of doing business in Zimbabwe. We have to align and share the same goals and values, for example last year we commissioned lines for affordable products which we gave a national dimension," he said.

Standards Association of Zimbabwe (SAZ) director Eve Gadzikwa said she welcomed the SAZ-Nestlé co-operation as the country has become open for business.

"Nestlé Zimbabwe is ready to do business and ready to partner under PPPs creating shared values resonates very well with our vision. Going forward we are very excited because last year we launched a Zimbabwe national standardisation strategy which is a three-year plan where we aligned with International Organisation for Standardisation methodology," she said.

This methodology has been crafted to assist developing countries like Zimbabwe in coming up with comprehensive standards that are market relevant."

On Monday, SAZ signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Nestlé Zimbabwe for scientific and technical cooperation.
- Zim Ind
Tags: Nestle,

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