Etosha Fishing has gone from strength to strength since it was awarded the Quality Company of the Year Award (Large Enterprise Winner) and Namibian Exporter of the Year at the Namibian Standards Institution (NSI) National Quality Awards held last year. All first place winners of this competition were pitted against companies in the SADC Region, where Etosha Fishing was once again victorious.

In a statement to Etosha Fishing the NSI announced: “The Namibian Standards Institution (NSI) is very proud and pleased to announce that Etosha Fishing Corporation (Pty) Ltd is declared winners (first place) of the SADC Annual Quality Awards 2014/2015 in Category Two (Company of the Year – Large Enterprises) and in Category Four (Exporter of the Year – Large Enterprises).”

Measured against stringent criteria requiring a mark higher than 70% to qualify for an award, Etosha Fishing ticked all the right boxes for the judges. In the same statement NSI CEO, Riundja Ali Kaakunga noted: “The NSI expresses its profound gratitude and appreciation and congratulates the Board, Management and staff of your company for the massive achievement in landing these prestigious SADC Annual Quality Awards for 2014/15.”

In response to this unique achievement Etosha Fishing MD, Pieter Greeff, is full of praise for his team. “We are delivering consistently on quality value added fish products through the efforts of a family of devoted staff. This award is dedicated to every individual’s input.”

The Quality Awards

The annual NSI National Quality Awards is aimed at recognizing industries, enterprises and individuals who perform excellent on quality.

The Quality Company of the Year Award (Large Enterprise Winner) is awarded to registered companies which best reflect full commitment to applicable local and international high quality production practices and standards / norms.

The Namibian Exporter of the Year is awarded to a company or organisation that has made significant progress in commencing or expanding exports to new or wider markets by introducing quality in their company.

Sustained business success
Established in the 1940s, Etosha Fishing Corporation is a leading player in the Namibian fishing industry and considered to be one of the foremost round can production facilities in the world. It is the Namibian home of the iconic Lucky Star canned pilchard and also cans Namibian horse mackerel under its own EFUTA Maasbanker brand. The company subscribes to the vision “excellence in food processing” and operates under HACCP compliance and EU Accreditation. Products also comply with NRCS and NSI regulations and standards.

According to Etosha Fishing MD, Pieter Greeff, this award is testimony to the company’s continued efforts to ensure quality products through sustainable business management strategies. He adds: “Management is committed to the sustained success of the company strategies and objectives through monitoring, measurement, analyses and review performance. We serve our market with high quality products and remain committed to product innovation.”

Value addition and exports
In recent years Etosha Fishing set the standard for value addition to Namibia’s national fish by launching its own EFUTA product range of canned horse mackerel in tomato sauce, chilli and salt water. It is the first Namibian canned product to receive the NSI’s Standard Mark of Conformity product endorsement. EFUTA Maasbanker is also a proudly Namibian product endorsed by Team Namibia and carries Halaal certification.

Apart from its local distribution, EFUTA is currently being exported to the following SADC countries: Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe Swaziland, Mozambique, Botswana and South Africa. Export markets in the process of being established include Angola, Benin, Nigeria and Tanzania.

Environmental and social impact
Asked about Etosha Fishing’s impact on the environment and society, Greeff acknowledges that the company’s activities have a human and social impact and as such it plays an active role in the community. The company supports a school feeding scheme that currently provides 5 meals per week to more than 1 400 vulnerable children. It also hosts the annual Lucky Star Marathon aimed at promoting a healthy lifestyle among the youth across Namibia.

As far as its environmental focus is concerned, Greeff notes: “To this end we consider the integration of environmental protection into our product design and development processes as part of our corporate social responsibility.”

Etosha Fishing considers the health and well-being of its employees to be of prime importance. The company continually makes large investments into its health, safety and environment programme, which is annually audited, and also offers a range of training opportunities to its employees. Says Greeff: “We have embarked on a program to identify previously disadvantaged persons in the work force and to further their studies to provide them with the necessary skills to move to a middle management position.”
The company provides benefits to all employees whether seasonal or permanent, that includes competitive salaries, pension or provident funds, and housing.

Committed to Namibia
“We are committed to the economic growth of an independent Namibia and take an active part in the creation of job opportunities and stable employment for all Namibians, despite the seasonality of the fishing industry,” highlights Greeff. He adds that the innovative business thinking of Etosha Fishing Corporation is not only directly in line with the Government’s directive of value addition to Namibia’s local marine resources, but further contributes to job creation and extension, as well as the sustainable development of the local fishing industry. This clearly supports the Government’s Vision 2030, as well as NDP4 aimed at high and sustained economic growth, increased income equality and employment creation.

Photo caption:
Proud momentEtosha Fishing was officially crowned as the winners of the SADC Annual Quality Awards 2014/2015 in Category Two (Company of the Year – Large Enterprises) and in Category Four (Exporter of the Year – Large Enterprises). The event was hosted in Kinshasa earlier this month. Etosha Fishing MD, Pieter Greeff (left), flanked by Estelle van Dyk (Etosha Fishing Quality Manager), is seen here receiving the honours. Pictured with them on the right is Albert Kasongo Mukonzo, Director General of Office Congolais de Controle (OCC).

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