17 Jul 2024

Value chain development is achievable and can significantly improve and grow businesses in Botswana, says the Assistant Minister of State President, Ms Boitumelo Gofhamodimo.

Ms Gofhamodimo said this at the Arona Natural Foods launch of frozen baked goods and cooking oil plant in Gaborone recently.

She said it showed that local businesses had the potential to reduce the import bill.

She also said the decision for Goosebumps, a South African company, to partner with Arona Natural Foods showed that the company had confidence  on the capability of Arona.

She urged Goosebumps to share the experiences  and expertise to Arona team as well as ensuring success and sustainability of the venture.

Ms Gofhamodimo said with Goosebumps technical expertise and Arona team’s skills would make the plant a force to reckon with.

Therefore, she urged all the players to do their best to ensure the business met customer expectations in terms of quality and service so that it continued to grow in the country and internationally as envisaged.

She also said, government had developed policies and pieces of legislation aimed at creating a conducive environment for the private sector to flourish.

She said the Industrial Development Policy and its subsidiary legislation, the Industrial Development Act were examples of such pieces of legislature.

The Assistant Minister said Arona Natural Foods had aligned itself to government policy and initiative to get to where it was.

 She said other initiatives included the Economic Diversification Drive, the National Export Strategy and the Economic Inclusion Act.

This, she said demonstrated government unwavering resolve to support the private sector and export led growth that could propel their destination as a country to high income status by 2036.

She further said that with the persistent global challenges faced by the diamond sector, it was imperative that they country pursued other economic growth paths.

Ms Gofhamodimo said it was pleasing to see companies such as Arona Natural Foods taking steps to become players in the economy.

She said the medium term plan of the company was to export its products to the market and SADC member states stood ready to receive them and trade with them.

She further said factors of determination, innovation and product quality were critical for any business undertaking.

The Assistant Minister encouraged shareholders, management and staff to pursue the dream with commitment as it would not only contribute to their local growth and regionally but to the growth of the nation.

She implored that Arona Natural Foods to ensure that their products were compliant to the applicable food standards and laws and were attractive in terms of price and quality for the individual client and customers to win the loyalty of customers.

She also said Arona Natural Foods employed over 100 workers and given the company growth strategy, the employment figures were set to rise in the short to medium term.

For his part, the Arona Natural Foods founder, Mr Fannie Gwizi appreciated financiers; CEDA, Absa Bank, Bank Gaborone and partners among them, PST, Goosebumps, Magic Brands Companies and Botswana Investment Trade Centre (BITC).

Mr Gwizi said they had markets in Zambia, Zimbabwe, Angola and DR Congo but pleaded to Goosebumps for South Africa, Gauteng Province market which was closest than all others. ENDS