By Olanrewaju Awosanya
“Nigeria is slowly moving from an oil-based economy to an agro-based economy and that is a very good step to grow in the future. The Nigeria business environment is good and it has a huge potential to grow. The kind of natural resources endowed in Nigeria is unparalleled across the world,” Olam Grains GMD
A leading conglomerate in Nigeria, Crown Flour Mill Limited, celebrated its customers recently and splashed them with gifts and varieties of prizes in appreciation of their performances over the year.
In doing this, it threw up a gala night held at the Rock View Hotel, Abuja, attended by its customers all over the country
The event, which also included appreciation of its outstanding employees, took place was greatly appreciated by the customers, staff and others in attendance.
Speaking at the occasion, Group Managing Director, Olam Grains, Mr. Anurag Shukla said, “Nigeria is slowly moving from an oil-based economy to an agro-based economy and that is a very good step to grow in the future. The Nigeria business environment is good and it has a huge potential to grow. The kind of natural resources endowed in Nigeria is unparalleled across the world.
“This is an annual event where we call on all our customers across the nation to converge in a central place – Abuja, to celebrate their success. We are basically using this occasion to enable our esteem customers to interact with one another, share their business challenges and see how we can proffer solutions as well as intimate them on the new things the company has for them.
“For us it has been an eventful year, we have made sure we grow our market and in addition to our milling business, we have entered into animal feed business. Our new factories would be opened in October 6 in Ilorin and the other in Kaduna.
“We utilize our resources very well and we are proud to see that our products are well accepted in the market.”
Olam Grains
Speaking on Olam Grains, Mr. Shukla, the GMD says, it is the largest non-oil exporter in the country.
“In our endeavour, we are growing the maize and soya bean business, poultry feed business as well as the aquatic business. We are the largest consumer of soya beans and maize. Just as the way we support our bakers, we are providing immense support to the poultry farmers and the aquatic farmers as well.
“Olam started business in Nigeria 26years back and we are proudly Nigerian. We have been in business in Nigeria for a long time. We are not here to just put some investment, get the cash and go away. No, we are not like that; we are here to stay. We are here to grow Nigeria economy and we believe we can generate much more employment. For instance, in the wheat milling business, we generated employment for over 500,000 bakers. We are currently generating employment for a huge amount of fish and poultry farmers,” he said.
Dealers speak
Speaking to our Abuja Correspondent, some of the customers who were rewarded with several items expressed satisfaction with the treatment by Crown Flour Mill. The included Mr. Francis Orogun, Managing Director, Orogun Brothers Limited, Mr. Cyril Emanerame, the Managing Director of Cyquem Ventures Limited and Representative of Mount Olives Nigeria Plc.
In his comment at the event, Olorogun said, “I am highly happy today being rewarded as one of the loyal customers. I can only say the sky is the limit and they can do more. Our major challenge is bad road and the hoodlums waylaying our trucks on the way,” he said.
Emanerame said,“My experience with Crown Foods Mill Limited has been that of consistency in quality and partnership. They remain the number one company in flour produce and the toast of bakers nationwide. Our challenge has been that of difficulty in redistribution of the product as well as multiple levies of local government authority.”
Representative of Mount Olives Nigeria Plc, a major dealer in the Southwest region, said, “Our experience with the company has been marvelous. It is an organization that always supports its customers and that is what stands them out. I would really like them to attend to the logistic issues. Although I am aware this is beyond them given the location of the company at Tincan Island, Apapa.
In his closing remarks, the Crown Flour Mill Limited’s Commercial Director, Mr. Bolaji Anifowose, said, “Prices may go up and down but we can assure you our dealers and customers we shall never abandon you”.
