Local firm collaborates local farmers in value addition drive

An agro-processing emerging local firm has considered farmers in its drive to push for value addition and import substitution.

Established in 2018, Glytime Foods, has engaged in modifying locally available foods through innovative formations that have seen locally produced foods competing with global products. Glytime Foods Executive Assistant, Tanaka Marwizi, says import substitution, value addition as well as health and wellness remain at the heart of their business.

“Glytime Foods is enhancing value addition. We are engaging farmers from both commercial farms and those from marginalised communities through purchasing their products, which we then add value and sell both on local and international markets. This has also seen a drop in imports in terms of particular products that we add value.

Through this we are indirectly employing a lot of people especially those in marginalised communities,” said Mr Marwizi.

Marwizi says that they get 70 percent of their raw materials locally, which has seen most farmers having a market for their products.

“We are helping a lot in combating post-harvest losses amongst local farmers. This is because some farmers end up having nowhere to sell their products and hence we have come to their rescue through buying their products.”

Some of the products made from locally available foods include oat cookies, granola, rolled oats, mixed raisins, roasted corn, roasted split nuts, desiccated coconut, vegan burgers, vegan balls and vegan sausages among others.

Marwizi says as an emerging brand, Glytime Foods has also embarked on increasing consciousness of health and wellness, which has now become a global trend.

“Globally, health and wellness has become a social value and this is another major pillar of the establishment of our brand. Our vegetarian product range was our key project in 2021 and we have succeeded in pushing for vegetarian products. Vegan products promote plant-based diets and these are plant based delights that are made mainly of plant protein mixed with special spices and herbs and they combat a lot of diseases and a lot of ailments, lower cholesterol levels, blood pressure levels. Through these products we aim to redefine the agro-processing industry and the food industry in particular,” says
Marwizi.

Marwizi highlighted that their efforts to enhance value addition and pushing for import substitutionhave seen their entity being recognised in many ways. The company has
scooped several awards. He also applauded the government for facilitating the foreign
exchange auction trading system that has also seen their company being able to secure
foreign currency to import some raw materials to process their products.-ebusinessweekly