Company ProfileNash Import & Export Ltd trading as Yatu Foods

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Nash Import & Export is a trading and production company, trading as Yatu Foods. It was established in 2000 and initially only focused on imports of commodities and products mainly for the mining sector. In 2006 it started producing its own tea brand (Yatu Tea Premium Tea Blend). In the recent years, Yatu has added other products for distribution such as bread and mineral water. The company has a diversified client base selling to retailers, wholesalers and mining companies/large industrial companies. They service both rural and urban communities.

Project Description

With support from EZCF , Nash Import & Export Ltd aims to:

1. Enter a new segment of tea (whilst still producing back tea). They want to set up an out grower scheme of 1,000 smallholder farmers, focused mainly at women (60%), to grow ginger and lemongrass. Farmers, will cultivate these new herbal crops on their homestead and Nash will guarantee offtake to process into ginger/lemongrass tea and other products (dried, drinks etc) at their processing plant in Lusaka.

Product, Market and the Environment

Yatu is well established as a supplier of premium black tea blend. They have core customers in the retail sector through the large chain store distribution network which includes Shoprite, Choppies etc. Yatu also sells its tea on wholesale to the mines and other corporate clients.

With EZCF support, the company wants to be closer to the market and have control over their supply chain by being actively involved with farmers and integrating them into their supply chains. They want to add value to the farmers through provision of extension services, better quality seeds and climate smart technologies (e.g. solar pumps for irrigation).