Dairy Board breakthrough in Africa

Press, 9 July 1986, Page 30

Dairy Board breakthrough in Africa

PA . Wellington The Dairy Board has made an important breakthrough in Africa by having New Zealand milk powder packaged there under its Anchor brand for the first time. The board has announced the opening of a factory in the east African countiy of Malawi to pack bulk wholemilk powder Into sachets. It said the project could boost New Zealand’s sales to Malawi and serve as a model for the board to use in spreading its presence in other parts of Africa. The board floated the idea as a way to supply Malawi with affordable milk powder, using local people and resources and establishing a continuing demand for the New Zealand product, It said.

i Malawi had traditions ally relied on the expen- - sive method of importing - milk powder in cans. Im- £ porting it in bulk from i New Zealand and packing 1 it locally would mean milk powder could be sold - more cheaply. i The marketing services i division of the Import and : Export Company of r Malawi (1984), Ltd, has built and is running the 1 factory. The board pro- ; vides the impetus and i technical knowhow. > It said the Malawi dairy industry would be unable I to meet domestic demand for many years. : “While New Zealand’s sales to Malawi are estimr ated at about 250 tonnes in the first year, this figure is expected to rise rapidly to make Malawi a significant and long-term customer of the board.”