Coca Cola to buy fruits from Tanzanian small farmers
DAR ES SALAAM, TANZANIA - Thousands of Tanzanian small fruits producers stand to benefit following their inclusion in the Coca Cola company master plan to produce fruits and vegetables from Tanzania's small scale growers.
The Coca-Cola Central, East and West Africa Limited last week announced it will use its Nairobi juices plant, to process Tanzanian fruits and vegetables most of which go to waste in villages and markets for lack of factories to utilize them.
The beverage producer last week launched its Minute Maid Juices' brand in the Tanzania market in response to the business opportunities and a noted steady increase in consumption of fruits and vegetables juices in the country.
The firm's country manager in Tanzania, Mr. Dimeji Olaniyan, said the company has partnered with small scale mango and passion fruits farmers to mainstream them into its supply chain for the first time along with production by Kenyan and Uganda small growers.
"So far, we have partnered with 50, 0000 small scale farmers in Kenya and Uganda and we expect to do the same in Tanzania," he said adding: "We want to empower small scale farmers here as what we do in Kenya and Uganda."
The products in Tanzania will initially be supplied from Coca-Cola Juices Kenya Limited, and later locally taking advantage of the Customs duty advantages under the East Africa Community (EAC) Customs regime.
Olaniyan said the Minute Maid Juice' is a blend of juices otherwise referred to as nectars. It is made from natural ingredients and contains no preservatives.
"It will initially be available in mango, orange and pineapple flavors in a 1-litre tetra packages and initially retail at Tsh2,700 (US$1.75)," elaborated Olaniyan.
He said for the first three months, only consumers in Dar es Salaam city, Moshi and Arusha will enjoy this newly introduced product before it goes national by end of March 2012.
The Tanzanian juices market remains highly fragmented with only a few entrenched dominant brands. The dominant juices come in orange, pineapple, passion and mango packed primarily by Azam brand.
The general sales manager of Bonite Bottlers Tanzania, an affiliate of Coco Cola company, Christopher Loiruk said.