FRESHPIKT, a food processing and canning company has managed to post success in sales despite the high production costs in Zambia through the increase in production out put, managing director Midge Drakes has said.
In an interview over the weekend, Mr Drakes said his company was managing to offset the high production costs with the high production figures and exports.
‘Our product has been received well on both the local and foreign markets where we export,” Mr Drakes said.
He said the company exports mainly to Zimbabwe and on a small- scale to South Africa.
The company exports a track load of various products to Zimbabwe every week while last year the company managed to export products to South Africa worth US$50,000.
“We intend to increase our exports to South Africa and exploit new markets such as the Democratic Republic Congo (DRC) and the European Union Market. We hope to start exporting high value products such as cherry pepper and sun dried tomatoes to the European market,” he said.
On the expansion of the local market Mr Drakes said the company would like to flood the Zambian market with the various products available at affordable prices.
At the moment Freshpikt products are only being sold in leading retail outlets but would soon start selling in other shops after the company conducts an advertising campaign.
“So far the products have been well received and are successful because they beat the imported products. Our long term strategy is to make canned food in Zambia available countrywide and affordable to all people,” he said.
The company produces 18 different canned products which include baked beans, mixed beans, pineapple chunks tomato puree, tomato paste, Tomato and onion mix, and whole peeled tomatoes.
Other products include mixed fruit jam, whole kernel sweet corn, Buka, buka plain and chili, tomato sauce, sun dried tomatoes in cola oil cherry pepper mango, guava orange and pineapple juices.
You are doing a great job Freshpikt. Honestly, these are the kind of industries we should be promoting and protecting since they have linkages with the local economy. I have never understood why successive Zambian governments have never promoted agro-industries. We should learn from Asia and the developed countries were agriculture and Agro-based industries pay very low or no taxes at all. The idea is to keep food prices low so that no one spends more than a third of their income on food.
It’s true, there are some people who are making an effort. just a few hours ago I was shocked to find ‘trade kings’ maheu in one of the supermarkets here in Joburg South Africa.
Dear,
this is hiking from Qingdao,China, we glad to know you in internet and introduce our company to you: we are the leading company to process and export frozen fresh vegetables and fruits who has 26 factories and found in 1985. now be advised the quote to you of some products:
frozen green peas
frozen sweet corn kernels
frozen cut green beans 2-4cm length
frozen broccoli 20-40mm
frozen carrots cubes 10*10*10mm
frozen mix vegetables
frozen cauliflower 20-40mm
fresh garlic
frozen strawberries
frozen peach
fresh apple
and so on .
if you need some ones now, please kindly contact me.
Best Regards!
Hiking
QINGDAO WANFU IM & EX CO., LTD
15c-d,huanhai building, no.2 midd
we are realy happy for you is mr matikesi still working there?
Yes indeed Mr Matikesi is still with freshpikt. His email is [email protected].
UMm42W comment2 ,
when will freshpikt start offering employment?
I want to know because we have waited for so long, when will freshpikt start recruiting? i applied and still waiting, i did quality control,food safety, haccp,person hygiene ,packhouse hygiene and personal behaviour in the packhouse, i like the company .
Do you produce the empty tin cans by yourselves?