By CHATULA KANGALI –
COLWYN Zambia Limited has started supplying Shoprite Stores with processed potato chips and is in advanced talks with Pick ‘n Pay on the stocking of the local product at the multinational chain store.
In August this year, the company entered into a supply agreement with Shoprite for the supply of processed potato chips.
This followed a directive by President Edgar Lungu for all supermarkets to start stocking locally grown agricultural produce and other products.
Company managing director Terence Findlay said in an interview that the company had started supplying the chips to Shoprite Stores around the country.
“We are now supplying our processed chips to Shoprite Zambia, and we are negotiating with Pick ‘n Pay.
“There is something positive coming out from them and once we finish the negotiations, we will start engaging Spar,” he said.
Mr Findlay said his company was the only firm processing potato chips in east and central Africa with a production capacity of 20 tonnes a day.
He said the company had remained competitive in the business and had recorded overwhelming demand.
Colwyn Zambia, he said, was working on an expansion programme and would soon start exporting its products to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
“There is a growing demand of the product especially in DRC. We are currently working on this, and very soon we will start exporting our chips. The only thing that is hindering us are power cuts,” he said.
Mr Findlay said the processed potato chips were locally grown and met international standards.
The firm, running the US$4 million-worth potato processing plant, is also working with Buyababa Farms that has agreed to grow the required varieties of potatoes.