Cormart partners with Kerry for Local Production

Cormart Nigeria Ltd., a leading chemical & food raw materials company and a member of TGI Group recently announced its partnership with Kerry, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of food flavours and ingredients.

The partnership entails the local manufacturing of flavours for industrial applications. Kerry has been in the Nigerian market for a long time selling finished products, but will now begin local production in Nigeria with Cormart Nigeria Limited.

This is in line with Cormart’s commitment to expanding its manufacturing capabilities in its sectors. It will also enable Kerry to be more sensitive and responsive to the local market requirements. The benefits for both businesses and their potential customers are enormous, as this collaboration will improve the quality of the products by saving shipment time, and ultimately reducing cost.

Robin Oort, Sales Director, Kerry Taste and Nutrition, APMEA, spoke about the partnership with Cormart. He said, “Kerry has had a long-standing relationship with Cormart and we are happy that we can bring this partnership to a new level through our new manufacturing contract.”

The partnership makes it easier for Nigerian manufacturers to conveniently procure the top quality Kerry flavour. There will be no forex required, less capital tied up in LC’s, smaller minimum order quantities (MOQs) and shorter lead times.

Martin Middernacht, Cormart’s Managing Director, expressed his delight with the new partnership. He said, “We are delighted to partner with a world-class company that operates at the highest quality standards. It is a great sign for the quality level at which we operate at Cormart.”

Cormart’s General Manager, Dr Johannes Flosbach, equally commented on the economic benefits of this partnership to the manufacturing sector. “This is timely in view of the recently ratified African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). We will not only produce for Nigeria, but also for neighbouring markets. This project helps Nigeria become a regional manufacturing hub, and our commitment to the Nigerian market is to ensure that we expand our local manufacturing capabilities.”, he said.

Business Unit Head, Cormart’s Food & Nutrition Department, Felicia Onabanjo, also shared her views on the opportunities this partnership presents for customers, stating that: “The partnership is a welcomed development. It is going to help in reducing the cost of importing raw materials, which is an economic boost for beverage, distillery, and confectionery industries”.

The partnership will enable a large variety of other local production projects – both for Cormart, its sister companies under the TGI Group, and other companies in the industry. The project will cover both seasonings for savoury applications and sweet flavours, with a focus on customized products.