The Meat Corporation of Namibia (Meatco) is in discussions with retail giants Woolworths and Shoprite as it seeks to expand sales of Namibian beef through supermarket chains in local and regional markets.
Meatco Interim Chief Executive Officer Albertus Aochamub said the company is pursuing the partnerships as part of a broader strategy to increase market access, improve product availability and generate higher returns through value-added products.
The move will see Meatco shift beyond its traditional model of supplying bulk beef cartons to retailers by introducing smaller, consumer-ready family packs for supermarket shelves.
“So what we’re working on is instead of the minimum 10kg boxes and 8kg boxes for retail clients, we want to provide the option of what is called family packs, retail size,” Aochamub said.
He said the strategy is intended to make premium Namibian beef more accessible to consumers, particularly in the domestic market where premium cuts are often difficult to find.
“Most of our people know Namibia produces premium beef, but many of them are not able to buy it. The premium cuts are not available in our local market,” he said.
According to Aochamub, discussions with Woolworths are already underway, with work on packaging requirements and product specifications having commenced.
He said the retail packaging initiative would enable Meatco to sell products directly to supermarkets in ready-to-display formats, creating additional value and improving profit margins.
“Those smaller packages would allow the product to leave our factory and go straight onto the shelf, including in Norwegian supermarkets. What does it mean for us? It means we would charge a premium because we are doing additional processing. Compared to those big boxes, we generate more,” he said.
The company is also engaging Shoprite as part of efforts to strengthen its footprint across Africa. Angola is expected to be among the first regional markets supplied under the expansion programme.
Aochamub said the retail push forms part of a wider export growth strategy that includes reactivating exports to the United States, increasing volumes to Ghana and expanding market access in Angola.
“We’re reactivating that market. We’re reactivating Ghana. And we should soon be in Angola, especially from the NCA,” he said.
He added that Meatco is on course to fulfil Namibia’s Norwegian beef export quota ahead of schedule this year, creating room to pursue additional markets and sales opportunities.
The company expects the strategy to strengthen revenue growth, improve returns from value-added processing and increase the presence of Namibian beef in key retail markets.
