Brazilian food producer eyes Namibia as SADC entry point

A delegation from Brazilian food conglomerate BRF on Tuesday called on President Hage Geingob at State House.
The company produces refrigerated and frozen foods such as pork, whole chickens and frozen cuts of chicken, processed foods, pasta, sauce, and frozen vegetables.
The company’s executive team, led by its chairperson Abilio Diniz and global chief executive officer (CEO) Pedro Faria, was accompanied by local entrepreneur Knowledge Katti.
Diniz told Geingob that his company was attracted by Namibia’s political and economic stability, integration in regional trade blocks, infrastructure and reputation for transparency.
“I hope we can do something together. We are one of the biggest corporations in Brazil. We hope we can do something for Namibia,” he said.
Namibia also serves as a gateway to the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region.
Geingob told the visitors that Namibia has declared war on poverty and implemented the Harambee Prosperity Plan (HPP) to ensure that every Namibian has access to the basic necessities for survival.
The president, who was accompanied by his advisors, told the guests that Namibia has a wealth of attractions and advantages for foreign-owned companies looking for business opportunities. Namibia has a government keen to foster the engines of economic growth and prosperity, he said.
BRF, with revenue of about US$13 billion (N$200.2 billion) recorded in 2013, exports to 120 countries. The company primarily sells its products under the Sadia, Perdigão, and Qualy brands.
The BRF delegation was also accompanied by members of the Walvis Bay Corridor Group (WBCG) based in Brazil.
The WBCG has an office in Brazil since 2012 to promote business development between the two countries.

NAMPA