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Bulawayo-based Pakistan Company, Bulk Commodities Private Limited has come under fire over accusations of supplying substandard flour to various bakeries around the country. Information gathered by The Herald Business reveals that the company has been importing flour from South Africa despite calls for the ban on importation of flour by local millers. This issue came to light after one of Bulawayo’s fastest growing bread manufacturer, Double Fresh Bakery lost business after using substandard flour supplied by Bulk Commodities Private Limited.
Double Fresh managing director Mr Mnothisi Nsingo told The Herald Business yesterday that Bulk Commodities failed to adhere to proper business principles by supplying substandard and water damaged flour in a period of two months resulting in a massive hit on the company business.
“We discovered that all the flour was water damaged. On contacting them, instead of changing it, they provided us with a sieve to remove the hardened flour,” said Mr Nsingo.
“Owing to the usage of the bad batch of flour, the company lost 65 percent of its production and $18 000 in bread monetary value as their product was returned en masse,” he said.
Bulk Commodities, imports its flour from South Africa and supplies 15 bakeries around the country including its own bakery in Bulawayo. Consumer Council of Zimbabwe Matabeleland regional manager Comfort Muchekeza confirmed the incident to The Herald Business yesterday. Mr Muchekeza said he was still waiting to get a response from Bulk Commodities Limited.
“We received a complaint and we inspected the product at their premises and even saw complaints from shops condemning their product as unfit for human consumption. A product is rendered not fit for human consumption when the end product reaches the consumer. Double Fresh’s product was no longer fit and we ordered it to be removed from the shelves,” said Mr Muchekeza.
Mr Muchekeza said CCZ was going to conduct further investigations on other bakeries to see if they have not been victims to this flour scam.
However, Double Fresh bakery has since agreed on terms with National Foods and has started purchasing their flour locally. Contacted for comment Bulk Commodities Private Limited representative, Nqobani Sithole could not give their side of the story but said the company would soon issue a statement.
Online Reporter