ZAMBEEF LEADS THE WAY IN AFRICA BUSINESS

AABLA Trophy

Zambeef Products has been recognised as a leader in African business and a role model for companies across the continent.

The company’s Chief Executive Officer Francis Grogan was on Friday (September 19) awarded the prestigious All Africa Business Leaders Awards (AABLA) as Southern Arica Entrepreneur of the Year 2013.

The accolade, sponsored by CNBC Africa, ABN Productions and Forbes Africa, pays tribute to captains of industry who have made a vast difference to the companies, industries and communities they serve. Mr Grogan faced competition from other nominees across the southern Africa region.

“It is a huge honour for a Zambian company to be recognised as leading the way on the continent,” said Mr Grogan, who dedicated the award to Zambeef’s loyal customers, suppliers and hard-working workforce.

“It is an endorsement of the economic policies that the Zambian government has pursued that have enabled the country to become one of the economic powerhouses of the continent,” he added.

Zambeef Products Chief Executive Officer Francis Grogan, winner of the All Africa Business Leaders Awards (AABLA) Southern Arica Entrepreneur of the Year 2013 accolade, with staff at the company’s flagship Arcades

Mr Grogan praised Zambia’s macro-economic stability as being a key success factor behind the growth of Zambeef, pointing to the strong GDP growth resulting in rising consumer demand, single-digit inflation, stable exchange rates and reducing interest rates.

He also emphasised that managing a company such as Zambeef was about  teamwork and he praised the company’s  5,500 staff and managers for their professionalism, stressing that Zambeef is a local company established in Zambia 20 years ago that grew from humble beginnings into a household name that touches the lives of everyone in the country.

“Zambeef is an inspiration to business leaders across Africa, and Mr Grogan has helped steer the business into the success story that it has become today” said CNBC Africa Business Development Manager for Zambia, Debbie Baillie. “This AABLA award recognises that contribution, and we hope that it will be an inspiration to other entrepreneurs within Zambia and across the continent.”

Zambeef has its origins in 1994 when Mr Grogan and Zambian partner Carl Irwin began building the company from a small butchery business with 60 employees into a K1.6 billion food processing and agribusiness conglomerate that is now listed on the London and Lusaka stock exchanges.

The group’s net assets have grown more than 15-fold from K52 million when listing in 2003 to K807 million in 2012, and turnover has increased from K165 million to K1,554 million over the a period.

Zambeef’s vision is to be the most accessible and affordable quality protein provider in the region. Its vertically integrated operation produces, processes and sells beef, chicken, pork, milk, dairy products, eggs, edible oils, stock feed, flour and bread. It has 118 retail outlets and three wholesale outlets across Zambia.

The company grows approximately 8,350 hectares of maize, soya beans and wheat under irrigiation, with a further 8,650 hectares of rain-fed/dry-land crops available for planting each year.

It is also rolling out its West Africa expansion in Nigeria and Ghana, as well as developing a palm project in Zambia.