5 October 2009

2 minute read

Africa

The global food brand has come under criticism this week after it was revealed that it has been buying between 10 and 15 per cent of the milk processed at its Harare plant from the Gushungo Dairy Estate, which is now managed by the wife of dictator Robert Mugabe, reports FoodNavigator.

The milk was used mainly in products for the local Zimbabwean market, but consumers around the world pledged to stop buying Nestle branded products.

A spokesperson for Nestle explained to FoodNavigator that Nestle started buying milk on the open market in February as the country’s food and economic crisis caused the dairy sector to collapse and eight of its 16 regular suppliers went out of business.

At the same time, the Zimbabwe Dairy Board was no longer in a position to buy milk from Gushungo Dairy Estate and seven other farms. Nestle says it therefore stepped in to buy it on a temporary basis.

"This helped prevent a further deterioration in food supplies in Zimbabwe at that time," said the company in a statement.

Nestle did not cite consumer response to publicity on the matter in its statement on the reasons for the change in sourcing strategy, which will come into effect on 4th October.

The spokesperson said it is because that the dairy situation in Zimbabwe has normalised to a degree and the dairy board could now start buying from its former suppliers again.

TheCattleSite News Desk