The Sunday News
SOME first time exhibitors at this year’s Zimbabwe International Trade Fair which ended yesterday in Bulawayo have hailed the premier trade showcase as a success after clinching lucrative deals which they said had the potential to market their services and products to regional and international markets.
In separate interviews with Sunday Business, local and foreign exhibitors who were exhibiting for the first time said they managed to get lucrative deals and partnerships from individuals and businesspeople who expressed interest in their products and services.
Harare Municipal Funeral Service general manager Mr Gailord Chidindi said his company had managed to set up a potential joint venture with a local funeral service provider to offer funeral services in Bulawayo.
Although he was not at liberty to divulge the name of the company he said he was certain that the talks would be successful as they had already secured state-of-the art funeral equipment for their showroom.
“We came to get partnerships and I am happy to say that our wish has been granted. We have struck a lucrative deal with a local funeral company that we are going to partner with to set up a state-of-the-art showroom in Bulawayo.
Part of the deal is that we have to get timber from Lupane and Tsholotsho to make our caskets. There is no reason why we have to import raw materials or finished products from other countries yet we have resources at our disposal.
“In line with Zim Asset, we will therefore give value to our resources and more jobs will be created. We also have a vision, where we will be able to export finished products to neighbouring countries. As a company we will be offering affordable funeral services and products to low income earners which will also see those with no steady jobs able to enjoy our services,” said Mr Chidindi.
Mr Chidindi said the company had invested in a state-of-the-jlllllart storage facility for deceased persons which comprises a spacious chapel, showroom and gravesite equipment.
The services also include body removal from the hospital to mortuary, body wash and dressing, embalming and caskets, among other packages.
“As a newly established funeral service provider we believe that we still have a long way to go in contributing to the enhancement of funeral services in the country. We realised that there was still a huge gap in terms of provision of funeral services in Bulawayo in general and its surroundings in particular and that is why we have partnered with a local funeral service provider to invest in setting up a new branch to offer a range of affordable products and services.”
Ms Ruth Almaz of Ethiopia’s Tikur Abbay Shoe, a small to medium enterprises company which specialises in footwear said she was happy with the response she got from people and local businesses.
“It is a very good response. By not coming to exhibit during the previous showcases I was definitely missing a lot of opportunities. There are a lot of people who approached me and asked to export their elephant shoes to Ethiopia. From what we discussed, it is a good business deal,” said Ms Almaz.
Mrs Gladys Ng’aari of Kenya’s Milly Creation, which exports fabric materials, said they managed to find their ideal market as women were impressed by the Ankara dress.
“Every woman wants to be associated with the Ankara dresses. They are beautiful and this week we brought the fabric material which proved to be popular with women. We now want to partner with local tailors so that we can export fabric material here and they do the tailoring so that we can improve our respective countries’ economies,” she said.
