ZimTrade conducts export packaging masterclass

BRANDING and packaging for the international market have become topical for exporters with ZimTrade urging local companies keen to penetrate global markets to do more in embracing quality standards and labelling.

The national trade promotion agency has been running training and capacity building meant to shed more light on how local entrepreneurs can leverage their branding and packaging to compete in the regional and international markets.

This week ZimTrade is running a two-day export packaging masterclass in Bulawayo where different companies are attending. The programme is meant to assist local producers, manufacturers, and artists who make products that go outside the country.

In an interview, ZimTrade Southern region client advisor, Mr Velile Dube, said local companies should understand branding and packaging international standards to improve their sales.

“The idea is to give cutting-edge packaging solutions by looking at imagery, branding, as well as the package that they are using to safeguard our products,” he said.

“We realised that as ZimTrade when we go outside the country, our products in some instances are not successful because of packaging. Their competitors are well packaged in comparison to them resulting in more sales for competitors yet the quality for the products is good.”

Mr Dube said branding and packaging done by the local companies is not bad but the aim is to push them to meet international standards.

He said local entrepreneurs need to focus on having batch numbers, and expiry dates of their products, specify the ingredients used in producing the product, indicate if there are allergies as well as the nutritional information.

He said telling a story about the products was critical as the market is now more interested in buying the story behind the product than the product itself.

“We have been working a lot on export development to develop the products, but we have realised that the packaging bid is not commensurate with the quality of the products so that’s one of the things we are trying to address,” said Mr Dube.

ZimTrade associate trainer, Mr Denis Choguya, said entrepreneurs are at different stages in their businesses and there is still work to be done in terms of bringing local packaging to match the demand and the expectations of international markets and regional markets.

“We have realised that because of the lack of options, it’s not many companies that print their packaging and labels to the quality that is competitive on the international markets,” said Mr Choguya.

“When correctly done, packaging should enable you to get new markets, sell at premium prices, and be more profitable.”

He said the entrepreneurs sometimes fail to articulate what they want to the printer of the labels and cartons because they lack knowledge and exposure to it.

Another trainer Mr Michael Danes said: “Good packaging will put local products in the spotlight as to how local products can perform with more confidence in the market.

“It’s all about ensuring that when a product leaves our border, it is in the best position to compete in the huge market, not only that they are better visually but also prepared with all statutory instruments requirements for it to be able to be on the shelves.”

Participants at the export packaging masterclass commended ZimTrade for the capacity building saying this will help them to learn and improve their packaging, which most of them thought doesn’t matter much compared to the products.

“ZimTrade export packaging masterclass has been a great opportunity for us as local entrepreneurs, we are learning how to package our products, for both local and international purposes,” said Ms Elizabeth Chimuti from Feist Dees Pvt Ltd.

“We are learning about how branding and packaging should tell a story and so many changes are going to happen on our packaging to ensure we are export-ready.”

Mr Fungai Zvinondiramba from the leather sector said: “The packaging for the export market will also assist us to improve our marketing for both local and international markets, we are learning the fundamentals of packaging, and images we put so that it speaks to our clientele.

“It is not limited to products, but also our workspace needs to be packaged so that when clients visit, they get attracted to our products and have an appreciation of what we are doing, and this is a very important soft skill for the industry,” he said. —-chronicle