Zambeef approach continues to change local food and retailing scene with innovations in shopping experience

LUSAKA, ZAMBIA – Zambeef Products took its intensive retail network roll-out programme to one of Lusaka’s busiest trading areas this week with the opening of its City Market Macro.

“Our mandate is to bring affordable, quality, fresh products to our customers, sold in a hygienic environment,” said Zambeef Chief Executive Officer Francis Grogan.

His sentiments were echoed by Zambeef Board Chairman Dr Jacob Mwanza who pointed out: “Our retail outlets serve as the Zambeef brand carrier; they are where the company interacts with its customers and are the face of the company.”

District Commissioner Captain David K Mulenga officially opened the Macro and expressed his delight at the fact that Zambeef is at the forefront of contributing to national development through farming, processing, distribution and retailing of agricultural produce, creating employment, promoting commerce, and contributing to rural development as well as the national treasury through payment of taxes that are important for meaningful national development.

“Zambeef’s impact on the value chain in the agri-business sector has been phenomenal. Even the Macro opening today has a pull effect on the overall growth of this sector and the company too,” said Captain Mulenga.

Zambeef Head of Corporate Affairs and General Manager Retail Felix Lupindula explained: “We are now up to 27 Macros to date – including this City Market Macro – and we are very much on course with the rest of our roll-out programme over the next few years. We have purchased sites in many strategic locations all over Zambia. Most are “new build” with the exception of a few cases of renovations on some older premises.”

Zambeef’s internal design, construction, refrigeration, human resource and IT teams have been tasked with the ambitious roll-out of new-look stores and their combined efforts have resulted in Zambia’s most modern retail networks to be seen dotted around the country.

The decision to expand Zambeef’s retailing network was spurred by changing consumer demands and expectations as well as the realignment if its strategic priorities, prompting a makeover of its stores nationwide to reflect its renewed drive to be a major food provider in the SADC and COMESA regions. This has further been helped by the expansion of the Shoprite retail network in Zambia, Nigeria and Ghana.

The Macros have gained popularity due to their novelty and represent a commitment by the group to deliver affordable and quality products that are easily accessible to Zambian consumers.

“The physical environment adds to the overall shopping experience, which is becoming increasingly important to consumers as much as other factors such as quality, availability and pricing. As a local company, Zambeef is taking the lead in not only building retail spaces that are of international standard but also in delivering a moment of reality for the shoppers,” said Mr Lupindula.

Zambeef is placing huge emphasis on location, hygiene and food safety, availability and affordability, trained staff, number of tills, ample cold storage and refrigerated displays, well-lit and secure parking areas, convenience and ease of access among others at the outlets. These innovations, coupled with its ability to appeal to consumers across all income brackets, have made Zambeef a household favourite.

“All foodstuffs especially perishables like meat and dairy products need to be stored and sold in a hygienic and a temperature controlled environment to safeguard customer health. Our customers can buy with complete confidence that everything we sell is 100% safe to eat in terms of traceability, inspection, transport and handling by our trained staff. Our customers always come first and their safety is top priority to us,” said Mr Lupindula.

“Often it’s the little things that matter for the customer,” noted Mr Lupindula in further reference to ensuring customer comfort during the in-store experience. Zambeef also recently took to installing benches in its outlets to give the elderly, physically challenged and expecting mothers a place to sit as they wait on their orders to be filled.

Customers received the new City Market Macro with great enthusiasm.

“Zambeef has done well to open an outlet here. It’s centrally located and at a bus station so it will be easier for people to buy beef and other products from here. I’m impressed that Zambeef has brought this outlet closer to people and where others work from,” said Stanley Simukoko of Lilanda compound.

Jacqueline Mambo of Garden House said: “This is a good idea as it is bigger in size and it means that the company is growing and helping us the consumers as it is more conducive. In terms of pricing of the meat and dairy products, they are more affordable compared to other shops and on my side I am very happy that it is near City Market.”

“I think it is awesome and the work done was a good effort; keep the momentum going,” said Zarina Musukwa of Salama Park, while Charles Kasaka of Matero said: “I am very happy. It is very nice and very easy to buy when you are here.”

“I feel excited because this outlet will allow customers to buy beef after work and while in town. It was difficult before to find beef and other products because many outlets are too far,” -said Sharon Mulenga of Makeni.

“This outlet will decongest other outlets in town because people now will be buying goods from this new outlet. Again, it will be easier for us to buy everything at a same place than moving from one place to another which takes too much time,” added Dennis Miti of John Laing.

Zambeef opens its City Market Macro.

Zambeef opens its City Market Macro.

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.

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.

The company slaughters around 78,000 beef cattle, 7.3 million chickens and 60,000 pigs per annum, while also processing 19 million litres of milk, producing 154,000 tons of stockfeed, 69 million eggs, 68,000 pairs of shoes and processes 100,000 hides in its tannery per year.

It has 195 retail outlets throughout Zambia and West Africa.

Zambeef employs over 7,000 people with a total of K357 million paid in remuneration and benefits in the last year.

More information is available at www.zambeefplc.com