Zambian Breweries welcomes quick meal producer Java Foods to its waste recycling initiative

ZAMBIA – Manja Pamodzi Limited, the recycling unit of Zambian Breweries, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Java Foods, producer of the country’s leading quick meal brands known as eeZee, to collect recyclable waste from its factory.

Manja Pamodzi is a community-based initiative that supports a network of entrepreneurs who collect and sell post-consumer packaging waste in Lusaka as part of Zambian Breweries’ strategy to help improve the country’s solid waste management system.

By joining the initiative, Java Foods is contributing to the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) framework designed to increase manufacturers’ roles in building a green economy.

EPR is built on regulations set out in Statutory Instrument No. 65 of 2018 that seek to promote the best practices manufacturers must follow to reduce their impact on the local environment, indicates the brewer.

“Creating sustainability through recycling, can help conserve natural resources, reduce the amount of waste reaching landfills and increase economic security by tapping into domestic raw materials.”

Manja Pamodzi Project Coordinator – Misheck Simwanza

With this MoU, Manja Pamodzi will proactively collect recyclable waste directly from the trading premises of Java Foods, reducing the volume of solid waste reaching local landfills.

“We commend Java Foods’ decision to joining hands with Manja Pamodzi in promoting environmental protection through recycling – which in turn helps raise hygiene standards in local communities,” said Manja Pamodzi Project Coordinator Misheck Simwanza.

Under Manja Pamodzi, collectors gather recyclable waste such as plastic bottles and other packaging materials and sell them to aggregators.

The aggregators then sell the material to recyclers who process it into pellets, cups, chairs, tissue and other useful items.

“Creating sustainability through recycling, can help conserve natural resources, reduce the amount of waste reaching landfills and increase economic security by tapping into domestic raw materials,” explained Mr Simwanza.

Java Foods Limited, a company run successfully by a female Zambian entrepreneur, Monica Musonda, manufactures affordable and nutritious food made from local products.

Over the years, it has grown to be one of the leading food manufacturers in Southern Africa.

“Recycling is key to creating environmental sustainability as well as building green communities. By enlisting Manja Pamodzi to help with our waste recycling, we are perpetuating our ethos of caring for the environment and wider society.

“It was an obvious connection given our existing relationship with the Zambian Breweries team,” Ms Musonda said.

Zambian Breweries believes this endeavour cannot be achieved by Government alone but requires a joint effort from communities, corporate entities, and other stakeholders to make it work.

Manja Pamodzi was launched in 2016 by Zambian Breweries with support from Lusaka City Council and Zambia Environmental Management Agency (ZEMA).

It has so far recruited more than 800 collectors while collecting over 12,000 tons of recyclable waste from communities in Lusaka.

Meanwhile, the subsidiary of world’s largest beer producer AB InBev, has increased the number of farmers under its cassava out-grower scheme from 4,000 to 6,000, in a bid to promote value addition and industrialization.

The out-grower scheme is being implemented in Northern, Luapula and Muchinga provinces.

Zambian Breweries established the cassava project in 2016. Through the project the brewer is ensuring economic diversification, job creation and setting new grounds for agriculture sustainability for the nation.

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