LUSAKA, ZAMBIA – Sales of Zambeef’s Novatek stockfeed reached record levels last year as the company continued to gain market share.

Animal feed production rose by 10 percent to 130,279 tonnes during the financial year to September 30, 2015, compared with 118,885 tonnes in the previous year.

“Novatek has consolidated its position as the best-selling stockfeed in Zambia and has also benefited from the stockfeed outlets being included in our new Zambeef Macro Outlets,” said Joint Chief Executive Officer Francis Grogan.

Novatek now has 90 Novatek outlets, along with a further three outlets in Zambeef Macro Outlets, which provide a smart one-stop shop where consumers can buy the full range of Zambeef products including meat, fish, dairy products, Novatek stockfeed and Zamhatch day-old chicks.

Novatek is continuing to boost growth by expanding its product range of feed for chickens, cattle, pigs, goats, sheep and fish, and is also increasing its exports, added Mr Grogan.

The economies of scale achieved by Novatek have helped small-scale farmers to compete on equal terms with their commercial counterparts in the supply of livestock as efficiencies and affordability of animal feed have been passed down the value chain to consumers, ensuring they enjoy high quality, well-priced meat, dairy products and eggs, while supporting small-scale suppliers to turn a profit.

Stockfeed accounted for 19 percent of the Zambeef group turnover and 10 percent of gross profit in the financial year ending September 30, 2015.

Novatek has also assured customers of consistency of supply of its stockfeed as the company maintains stock levels to meet demand, helped by a US$400,000 investment in two state-of-the-art generators of 1 MVA and 500 KVA to ensure continued production even during load-shedding.

A new range of economy feeds was also launched under the brand name “Zamfeed”, enabling customers to compete with all the other lower priced feeds in the market.

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About Zambeef Products Plc

Zambeef Products Plc is the largest integrated agribusinesses in Zambia.

The group is principally involved in the production, processing, distribution and retailing of beef, chicken, pork, milk, dairy products, eggs, stock feed and flour. The group also has large row cropping operations (principally maize, soya beans and wheat), with approximately 8,150 hectares of row crops under irrigation which is planted twice a year and a further 8,480 hectares of rain-fed/dry-land crops available for planting each year. The group is also in the process of rolling out its West Africa expansion in Nigeria and Ghana, as well as developing a palm project in Zambia.

It slaughters around 55,000 beef cattle, 50,000 pigs and 6 million chickens, and processes 10 million litres of milk per year. The company has 120 retail outlets throughout the country, along with three wholesale depots.

More information is available at www.zambeefplc.com.