Avnash Hikes Investment In Locally Made Products

By Edmund Mingle

Avnash Industries Ghana Limited, a leading agribusiness company has launched its new range of locally produced vegetable oil in its quest to support the campaign for made in Ghana goods.

Golden Drop Oil is produced from crude Palm Oil (CPO) from locally available sources which is refined and processed at the company’s plant at the Tema Free Zone enclave.

The plant, currently produces 500 metric tonnes of edible-oil per day, and employs about 500 employees who run on a shift basis, but indirectly creates over 2,000 jobs through the sourcing of raw materials from local farms and the establishment of oil palm plantations.

Bhagwan K. Mirchandani (right) and the CEO
 unveiling the vegetable oil brands

Aside the vegetable oil, the company also re-launched its locally produced rice, “Royal Farmers,” and its locally produced soap branded as “Oly.”

The company believes that its increased investment in locally produced brands, would complement efforts at promoting made in Ghana products which are of high quality comparable to foreign products.

“Our soil-to-kitchen strategy is what we believe is the key to eradicating poverty and getting out of the inherited rise of food prices,” said Jai Arjan Mirchandani, Chief Executive Officer of Avnash.

He explained that the company, which was established in Ghana in 2001, invested in the edible oil refinery plant with the aim of supporting the country to cut its high cost on importing vegetable oil and other food items, adding that Ghana has a lot of local materials to rely on.

He said the products from local firms such as Avnash and other companies show that it was possible for Ghana to produce quality and internationally competitive products using local raw materials.

“We believe that that whatever we produce in Ghana, be it oil, rice or soap that has the dreams, hopes and aspirations of the people, we are sharing their story through our brands,” he said.

As part of the launching, the company also unveiled its Corporate Social Responsibility project in which hundreds of pushcarts and tricycles would be distributed to physically challenged people to aid their mobility.

The facility would enable the beneficiary physically challenged people to engage in income generating activities by using the carts to sell products, including those of the company.

The Chairman of Avnash Group of Companies, Bhagwan K. Mirchandani, was optimistic the project would make a positive impact by enabling deprived physically challenged people to take advantage of business opportunities to generate income to improve their welfare.