The best Malawi has to offer, coming to a store near you

from The Herald

Exclusive Malawian tea, coffee, tableware and gifts could soon be widely available in Scottish stores, thanks to a major trade fair in Glasgow.

Trade Connections, which will take place at the SECC on Thursday, is an opportunity for 20 Malawian producers to present their goods and services to Scottish buyers from large chains and independent stores.

Tea, coffee, sugar, gin, macadamia nuts, chilli sauce, crafts and tourism-related material will be on display. There will be such Malawian household names as Chombe tea, which accounts for 65% of market share in the southern African country, plus Satemwa fair-trade tea, Mzuzu coffee, which sells the produce of five farming cooperatives, Dream Craft jewellery, Dedza pottery and Nyasa Lodges bespoke safari holidays.


The event is also open to others interested in the development of Malawi, such as churches, voluntary workers, teachers and non-governmental organisations (NGOs). The world's first fair-trade cola, Ubuntu, which is made using Malawian sugar, will be available for sampling at the fair, and four Scottish fair-trade retailers will have stalls so that visitors can stock up on ethical goods. There will also be a series of seminars.

The fair will be opened by the former First Minister and next UK High Commissioner to Malawi, Jack McConnell. He said: "The future for the developing countries of Africa is a future based on strong economic foundations, more trade and sustainable jobs. This trade fair will help businesses from Malawi promote their products, and therefore help them grow in the future. I hope it will be widely supported by potential customers in Scotland."

The aim is to achieve £500,000 worth of trade and stimulate £1m of investment between the two countries. For example, Malawi Distilleries wants to start selling its gin in the UK, but British regulations require that the spirit be sold in 750ml bottles, instead of the standard Malawian 700ml bottles. That will require the building of a new bottling plant, for which the company requires investment.

Trade Connections has been organised by the economic development consultancy Imani Development, which has offices in Scotland and Malawi, with grant funding from the Scottish Government's International Development Fund. The 20 producers have been trained in advance by Imani on how to pitch their products to Scottish buyers.

Simon Hess, economic consultant with Imani, said: "We are delighted this trade fair will coincide with the second anniversary of the Scotland and Malawi Cooperation Agreement.

"This was when the Scottish and Malawian governments agreed to cooperate in four critical areas - health, education, civic governance and sustainable economic development."