Olam emerges Nigeria’s most innovative food company for 2021
By Trek Africa Newspaper
L-R: Ade Adefeko (left), Vice President, Corporate and Government Relations, Olam, and Bolaji Anifowose (right), Vice President, Commercial, Olam, receiving the award for the Most Innovative Food Company of Year 2021 at the BusinessDay Nigerian Business Leadership Awards (BNBLA).
Olam Nigeria, a top agribusiness conglomerate and group company of leading food manufacturers such as Crown Flour Mill Limited (CFM), Agro Technical & Processing Company Limited, Olam Sanyo, OK Foods, Caraway Africa Nigeria, Outspan Nigeria Limited amongst others, has been adjudged the most Innovative Food Company of the Year 2021 in Nigeria. The agribusiness firm’s leading position in innovation was confirmed at the BusinessDay Nigerian Business Leadership Awards (BNBLA) which was held in Lagos on Saturday, December 11, 2021.
Speaking on the emergence of the company as the topmost innovative food product manufacturer in Nigeria, Ade Adefeko, the Head Government & Corporate Relations at Olam, who represented the Managing Director alongside Bolaji Anifowose, Director Sales, Crown Flour Mill Limited (CFM) said, “This award demonstrates our commitment to excellence in delivering quality, safe and affordable food products to the growing Nigerian populace.”
Bolaji Anifowose who received the award along with Adefeko added, “It is also a fine way for us to end the year considering we have devoted a larger part of the year to navigating the tough operating business environment while strengthening our operating capacity and keeping with the highest standards in the local and global food industries. This latest award would serve as an incentive to keep galvanizing investment actions within our business to deliver a better performance in 2022.”
The business clinched the Top Employer award in Nigeria and Africa earlier in the year. Due to its sustained commitment to excellence and enterprise in the food manufacturing sector, its flour milling operation, CFM, received the award of Industry Leader in Quality Systems and Fortification, for its contributions to the launch of the Micronutrient Fortification Index (MFI) this year in September. The business was also recognized at the FMDQ Gold Awards for its impactful contributions to the money market.
According to BusinessDay media, the awards organisers, the criteria for vetting were based on a balanced scorecard system that assigned weighted averages to leadership, innovation, market share, process improvement, financial performance, employee job satisfaction, social and environmental focus, and compliance with extant regulatory requirements. The organisers applauded the company’s response to the pandemic including the launch of a N300 million ($750,000) project for community seed enterprises that would increase wheat production in Nigeria, and other innovations which they said is ‘indicative of concrete proof that it has built in robust shock-absorbers and agile systems to deflect any catastrophe-grade disruptions to its operations’.
The award citation highlighted the following as strengths of Olam Nigeria Limited – Growth, Resilience, Operational Excellence, People First attitude, Responsible Corporate Citizen, Customer Centric & Family Friendliness, and Social Consciousness.
The BusinessDay Nigerian Business Leadership Awards surveys the market to shed light on organisations, business activities and leaders that add exceptional value to the economy through delivery of innovative products and outstanding services in the outgoing year.
Olam manufactures a wide range of food products like Mama Gold range of flour and semolina products, Crown Premium Spaghetti, Mama’s Pride, Mama’s Choice and Mama Gold rice brands, Pure Bliss biscuits and wafer range, Tasty Tom Noodles, Derica & Tasty Tom tomato paste, and a range of culinary ingredients and dairy beverages.
