LUSAKA, ZAMBIA – Zambeef has kicked off celebrations to mark its 25th anniversary of feeding the nation with a march past to its head office in Lusaka.

The food processing and retailing giant’s 7,500 staff were the centre of attention as founders Dr Carl Irwin and Francis Grogan thanked them for their hard work, dedication and support.

The event featured energetic dancers, a live band and celebrations at Zambeef head office. Balloons were released in the company’s red, black and white colours, and plaques were unveiled to mark the milestone.

In his speech, Zambeef Chief Executive Officer Mr Grogan narrated the retail giant’s humble beginnings in 1994 and thanked all staff for the role they have played in making Zambeef the largest vertically integrated food company in Zambia.

“To achieve the vision we had for Zambeef would have not been possible without the commitment and hard work from every single employee. The key to our success is every single one of our employees and I would like to thank you very much,” said Mr Grogan.

Dr Irwin reflected on Zambeef’s culture of teamwork, hard work, integrity, passion and dedication, to which he attributed the company’s success. He also encouraged the new management team to continue the organisation’s principles and culture.

“Zambeef has had a great impact on many lives in our country. Not only have we created over 7,500 jobs, we also contribute to poverty alleviation through all the small and emerging farmers we deal with in every part of the country. We have also played a big role in food security of Zambia. As food production becomes a problem across the world due to climate change in Zambia, we are fortunate that we are able to produce our own food,” he said.

Deputy Managing director and CEO Designate Walter Roodt said: “Most businesses don’t survive 25 years. If you see the energy and passion channelled correctly, as it has been for all employees, that really is something that galvanises and that is why this is a strong family, not just employees and people working together. That passion is something we have to preserve, never mind the integrity, the dignity and the way we work together.”

Over the last 25 years Zambeef has grown from a small butchery in Kabwata to becoming the most successful cold chain food processing and retailing in the region. It supplies 38 Shoprite butcheries in Zambia, 25 in Nigeria and 6 butcheries in Ghana. It also owns Mpongwe farm: one of the best farms in Africa, and Kalundu dairy farm which is one of the most successful dairy farms in the sub-Saharan region, producing over 36,000 litres of milk daily. Currently Zambeef operates 35 macro-stores nationwide, bring its total retail outlets to more than 200.

About Zambeef Products Plc
Zambeef Products Plc is the largest integrated cold chain food products and agribusiness company in Zambia and one of the largest in the region, involved in the primary production, processing, distribution and retailing of beef, chicken, pork, milk, eggs, dairy products, fish, flour and stockfeed, throughout Zambia and the surrounding region, as well as Nigeria and Ghana.

It has 206 retail outlets throughout Zambia and West Africa.

The company is one of the largest suppliers of beef in Zambia. Five beef abattoirs and three feedlots located throughout Zambia, with a capacity to slaughter 100,000 cattle a year. Zambeef produced 18.1 million kgs of beef in 2018. It is also one of the largest chicken and egg producers in Zambia, producing 16.9 million day-old chicks a year and processing 12.8 million kgs of chickens in 2018.

It is one of the largest piggeries, pig abattoirs and pork processing plants in Zambia, with 9.9 million kgs produced during the year, while its dairy processes around 19.3 million litres of milk a year.

The Group is also one of the largest cereal row cropping operations in Zambia, with approximately 7,787 hectares of row crops under irrigation which are planted twice a year, and a further 8,694 hectares of rainfed/dry-land crops available for planting each year.

Zambeef employs 7,555 people with a total of K420.8 million paid in remuneration and benefits in the last year.

More information is available at www.zambeefplc.com

Audio soundbites available for download here:

Zambeef CEO and co-founder Francis Grogan
Zambeef co-founder Dr Carl Irwin

Video soundbites available for download here:

Zambeef CEO and co-founder Francis Grogan
Zambeef co-founder Dr Carl Irwin Cutaways