Kerry, the world’s leading taste and nutrition company, officially opened the largest and most advanced taste manufacturing facility on the African continent. The new R650m (€38m) facility in KwaZulu Natal will produce sustainable nutrition solutions that will be consumed across the African continent.
The official opening was attended by Deputy Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, Nomalungelo Gina; KwaZulu-Natal Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs MEC, Ravi Pillay; and Ambassador of Ireland to the Republic of South Africa, Her Excellency Fionnuala Gilsenan.
The project is recognised as a key strategic investment, in the region of Kwa-Zulu Natal and within South Africa’s food manufacturing industry and has been included as part of the South African Presidential investment drive to stimulate sustainable, equitable and inclusive growth as the foundation for socio-economic transformation in the country.
“As the DTIC, we are excited about this investment because it aligns very well with our re-imagined industrial strategy. As a department, we undertook to support improved industrial performance, through localisation, dynamism and competitiveness of local companies,” said Gina. “Our economic vision is to lift the rate of inclusive economic growth, and investments such as this will assist us to achieve these objectives.”
Located in Hammarsdale, the new 10 000 m2 facility is one of the company’s most environmentally efficient manufacturing sites with numerous sustainability features including low energy usage equipment, solar power generation to reduce consumption from the local grid, waste heat capture, efficient water capture, reuse and reduction.
Paul Hewitt, Vice President, Sub Saharan Africa Kerry Group said: “Kerry has had a presence in South Africa since 2011 and our success has been based on our ability to deliver truly authentic African taste by identifying traditional food and flavours and reimagining it into today’s modern context. More than understanding consumer taste, we are committed to predicting global and regional trends and innovating with our customers to lead the industry towards the next generation of sustainable African food and nutrition. South Africa is in a unique position to service East, Central as well as West Africa and we look forward to working with food and beverage companies to create products that will be enjoyed across the continent.”
Kerry is also expanding its Development and Application Centre in Nairobi, Kenya to further support customers in East Africa and the development of sustainable food processing for the continent.
With Kerry’s innovation expertise, solutions portfolio and sustainability commitments, Kerry ultimately aims to decrease the environmental and social impacts of the food industry value chain so that consumers everywhere can make better, healthier choices and leave a better world for future generations.
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Commenting on the opening, Edmond Scanlon, CEO Kerry Group, said: “The opening of the facility in Hammarsdale is a significant step forward in helping to realise our vision of creating a world of sustainable nutrition. For 50 years, Kerry has focused on meeting local consumer needs grounded in great taste - one of the most important criteria in any food or beverage. Our suite of world-leading technologies combined with our expertise and now this state-of-the-art manufacturing facility ensures that we can continue to work with our customers to produce great tasting, nutritious products that are respectful of our planet.”
About Kerry Group
Kerry is the world’s leading taste and nutrition partner for the food, beverage and pharmaceutical markets. We innovate with our customers to create great-tasting products with improved nutrition and functionality, while ensuring better impact for the planet. Our leading consumer insights, global RD&A team of 1,100+ food scientists and extensive global footprint enable us to solve our customers’ complex challenges with differentiated solutions. At Kerry, we are driven to be our customers’ most valued partner, creating a world of sustainable nutrition, and will reach over two billion consumers with sustainable nutrition solutions by 2030.
For more information, visit http://www.kerrygroup.com
