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Dumisani Nsingo, Senior Business Reporter
LEADING milk processor and dairy producer, Dairibord Holdings will this year introduce a 100 percent fruit juice product on its portfolio while exploring prospects of fortifying its exports.
Dairibord Holdings corporate communications manager Ms Imelda Shoko said the company has set sights on maximising its multi-purpose state-of-the-art Ultra-High Temperature (UHT) processing and packaging plant in Chipinge to produce and package 100 percent fruit juice.
Presently the plant is being used for processing and packing the Dairibord Chimombe one-litre Long Life Milk Full Cream and Low Fat variants in a carton pack. The one-litre Chimombe Long Life Milk was previously toll-manufactured in South Africa.
“We have not yet started packing 100 percent fruit juices but our target is to be in the market before summer,” said Ms Shoko.
Dairibord which exports sterilised milk, various foodstuffs such as Lyons peanut butter, Rabroy brands of tomato sauce, salad cream and mayonnaise as well as Quench cordials and Quick Brew tea on the beverages side to Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique and South Africa has set sights at cartonised milk.
“Following the commissioning of the UHT Tetra processing and packaging plant, there is an opportunity to export cartonised milk,” Ms Shoko said.
The company is satisfied with the performance of its newly introduced products.
“New products such as Pfuko-Udiwo Mahewu Buttermilk, Banana, Strawberry and Chocolate flavours, Chimombe UHT cartonised milk, Supermilk UHT cartonised, Cascade strawberry and Novelty ice-cream were well received in the market. The products are commanding a healthy market share,” said Ms Shoko.
Last year the company doubled its Pfuko/Udiwo Mahewu capacity which it introduced into the market three years ago from 25 to 50 million litres per annum following the successful completion of the plant at total investment $2,3 million.
The company recently restructured its operations creating a lean structure as part of belt-tightening measures expected to whittle down selling and administration costs by minimum of 10 percent per annum.
The restructuring process resulted in the creation of six functional lines namely marketing services, manufacturing, finance, human resources, commercial services, information communication technology and procurement.
@DNsingo
Online Reporter