Zimbabwe’s superbrands

of Zimbabwe on Wednesday last week was a milestone in that it responded to the call for a category specifically designed for local brands that is being sponsored by the Buy Zimbabwe Campaign.
The response from guests when Mr Tovu Manene, managing director of Select Research and MAZ board member, introduced the category was clear testimony that local companies are eager to compete for top honours.
The fact that indigenous companies have been allowed to compete against each other should not mean that the category has to be taken lightly.
Rather the Superbrand and Buy Zimbabwe are giving the indigenous brands the opportunity to show that they have the competitive edge to reclaim, maintain and expand market share.
So it’s game on, folks!
I would like to emphasise that Buy Zimbabwe is pushing for a Buy Zimbabwe certification with the Standards Association of Zimbabwe, which will ensure that members meet a required minimum quality standard.
This should also help in the judging criteria for the awards. To ensure that the adjudication process is a success Buy Zimbabwe will make use of the following activities:
Retail audits held in conjunction with MAZ and research companies. Proposed econometric surveys with CZI and consumer surveys by the Consumer Council of Zimbabwe.
Still celebrating the milestones of last week, Buy Zimbabwe was welcomed into the National Economic Consultative Forum at a board meeting hosted by the Industrial Development Corporation.
There was also the discussion on the Industrial Development Policy that was presented by the Ministry of Industry and Commerce at a breakfast hosted by CZI.
Two common outcomes to emerge from these meetings are that stakeholders are ready to “go beyond words” and that the Buy Zimbabwe Campaign has been a missing link in building strong Zimbabwean brands.
The need for an effective promotional platform that ties in well with the activities of critical partners – CZI, ZNCC, CCZ, SAZ, Government, business, the media and others – was emphasised at these meetings.
With the economy finally out of intensive care the Industrial Development Policy comes at an opportune time to complete the resuscitation of the economy and present opportunities for brands to grow.
Mr Thebeetsile Ikalafeng, the founder and chairman of Brand Africa and guest speaker at the official launch of 2011 Superbrand, said that for brands to grow they need to be operating in a right environment and judging from the dialogue taking place our economy is on the right path
The dialogue taking place in policy formulation is encouraging. Economic Planning and Investment Promotion Deputy Minister Mike Bimha said that the policy belongs to industrialists and Government relies on input from industrialists in formulating it.
To create a robust economy there is also need to dovetail the industrial policy with other pieces of legislation that we have in the country.
At the NECF meeting CZI president Mr Joseph Kanyekanye pointed out the importance of analysing the current trade policy and making serious consideration when signing trade agreements to avoid serious contradictions.
For Professor Christopher Chetsanga the greatest contradiction is how Zimbabwe has high unemployment when we are highly endowed with natural resources.
The need to industrialise is urgent.
As Mr Jimmy Psillos, managing director of Crystal Candy, put it Zimbabwe has to move from producer of primary products to producer of value added products.
Value addition creates companies that bring jobs into the economy. Value addition will also help build brand equity.
As Buy Zimbabwe our aim is to take this dialogue nationally, regionally and internationally.
Our participation at this year’s Zimbabwe International Trade Fair will be an opportunity for us to interact with businesses, retailers, consumers and policymakers from other parts of Zimbabwe and across the globe to share our vision and to tap into these experiences.
We are now also online to give our stakeholders greater access to the campaign. Comments and views are welcome on the site.
I would like to close with a case study I heard from Mr Ikalafeng on how the Ethiopians have managed to renegotiate their coffee supply deal with Starbucks in America.
An unfair deal, which favoured Starbucks has now been reversed and now favours the Ethiopian coffee suppliers.
The Ethiopians now get more than 24 times what they used to get before because of the value attached to Ethiopian coffee.
Given our reputation for intelligence we, too, can make such deals and even better.
l For comments, contributions and membership contact Buy Zimbabwe on: [email protected]. Telephone: 04-333045 Cell: 0772 714 233 or visit s at 22 Broadlands Road, Mount Pleasant, Harare. Website: www.buyzimbabwe.org.zw