ZIMBABWE – Nestlé has appointed Luke Gomes as the new Cluster Head for the Greater Zambezi region, one of three clusters within Nestlé East and Southern Africa Region (ESAR).

The cluster covers five countries, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique, Comores and Madagascar, with the new boss headquartered in Harare, Zimbabwe as he will also be assuming Managing Director role for Nestlé Zimbabwe.

Gomes took the reins on June 1st, 2022, succeeding Asim Rifat, who has taken on the role of Business Executive Officer, Nestlé Nutrition Middle East and North Africa.

He was also appointed a board member of the Swiss Zimbabwe Business Chamber where he will play a role in transforming the Zimbabwean business community through fostering deep political and economic relations between Switzerland and Zimbabwe.

Gomes joined Nestlé in 1988 as a sales promoter in India, progressed and held other roles during his three-decades-long tenure in the business.

Over his career, he has been instrumental in driving business effectiveness and delivering business objectives across various countries.

He takes over the new roles after serving as head of Nestlé Infant Nutrition Business in 18 Countries across East & Horn of Africa (HOA), Southern African and Indian Ocean Islands.

During the stint, he championed the portfolio and played an influential role in people development within those countries, driving business growth.

He also led Nestlé Infant Nutrition Business in Bangladesh as a director, and in Sri Lanka he led as country business manager.

Prior to that he was the Project Leader for Nestlé Continuous Excellence in South Asia & Southeast Asia.

“Gomes is a strong leader, people-oriented, with an exemplary versatility that makes him perfect for this role.

“His extensive experience is invaluable for this role, especially in this moment where food security, access and affordability of nutrition, socio-economic awareness, among other concerns, rank high with consumers and stakeholders.

“We look forward to collaborating with him in continuing to drive our purpose and amplifying success in the region,” Bruno Olierhoek, Chairman and Managing Director at Nestlé ESAR, said.

Nestlé strengthens sustainable packaging drive with new Starbucks At Home capsules

In other related news, the food giant has announced that the Starbucks At Home by Nespresso coffee capsules are now made using 80% recycled aluminum – a first for the range.

The move is designed to help Nestlé meet its 2025 ambition to make 100% of its packaging recyclable or reusable.

Aluminium is one of the most widely recycled materials in the world. Nestlé states that the benefit of using recycled aluminium is linked to the amount of energy saved in the production of aluminum and that it’s well suited to the circular economy.

Nicole Roos, business executive officer for beverages at Nestlé East and Southern Africa Region explains, “With every material we use to produce the capsules, we are committed to ensuring that none of our packaging ends up in landfill or as litter and aim to minimise the impact of our packaging on the environment.

“This includes advocating for adequate recycling infrastructure for coffee capsules regardless of the material used. In addition, aluminium can be re-melted and reused infinitely, giving it a second life.”

The recycled aluminum comes from a variety of sources including post-consumer scrap as well as scrap recovered during the production processes.

Using 80% recycled aluminium is not only better for the environment, but aluminum is also one of the best materials to keep freshness and protect the aromas of coffee, notes Nestlé, adding that it provides an exceptional barrier to oxygen, light and humidity and is therefore an excellent choice to protect volatile aromas and freshness for a long time.

“By using 80% recycled aluminum, we demonstrate the recyclability of aluminium and want to encourage our consumers to recycle their aluminium capsules. When you recycle the Starbucks At Home by Nespresso coffee capsules, you also help decrease the carbon footprint of your cup of coffee.

“This is a key aspect of the Nestlé ESAR RE initiative that focuses on three key pillars Rethink, Reduce and Repurpose to tackle sustainability issues,” concludes Roos.

The Starbucks At Home by Nespresso range is available in selected stores including Checkers, Pick n Pay, Spar and Makro as well as online platforms including Takealot, Checkers Sixty60 and Pick n Pay Online.

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