Nestle says it is committed to continued operation in Zimbabwe and will further invest in the country, especially in supporting dairy and coffee farmers.
This is despite the challenges that the southern African country is currently experiencing.
Speaking after meeting President Emmerson Mnagangwa, Nestle South Africa chairman and managing director Bruno Olierhoek, who was accompanied by Chris Johnson, the executive vice president and chief executive officer for Asia, Oceania and Sub-Saharan Africa, said his company, through Nestle Zimbabwe, would “try to thrive” despite the situation on the ground.
“Our commitment to the President (Mnangagwa) was that we will try really to do our best to stay in the country.”
He said if the situation requires a change of business model and indeed to be less dependent on imported things, then his company will work on developing the local industry.
He said his company will work with farmers in the coffee and those in the dairy sector for critical inputs into the business.
We will work on “increasing what they can supply us as per the standards,” said Olierhoek.
His comments come as another dairy processing company, Dairibord, blamed drop in sales volume to supply side constraints, namely continual deterioration of macro-economic fundamentals compounded with foreign currency, electricity and water shortages.
“These in turn had led to low production output, increased utility costs and depressed consumer disposable incomes,” said Dairibord last week.
