Chinese national liquor Moutai eyes Southern African market

WINDHOEK -- China's national liquor Kweichow Moutai is looking for investment opportunities in Namibia and across the SADC (Southern African Development Community) region, Chinese Ambassador to Namibia Zhang Yiming has told Xinhua.

Zhang said this during a welcoming dinner for the visiting Moutai delegation held in the capital Windhoek Monday.

Executives from the Moutai Group are in Namibia on a fact-finding mission, led by general manager Li Baofang.

The ambassador said he was very excited to host a delegation from the Moutai group, a leading liquor maker from China with annual revenues in excess of 7.5 billion U.S. dollars.

"They (Moutai) would like to set up a distribution network in Africa through Namibia which I think should be encouraged by the ministry of trade in Namibia because this would result in more tax revenue being generated for the Government and job opportunities being created for local people. We encourage these companies to invest in Namibia and to expand their business cooperation with Namibia," Ambassador Zhang said.

Namibia's Industrialization, Trade and SME Development Minister, Immanuel Ngatjizeko, said Moutai was welcome to set up shop in the country.

"We have a conducive environment for their business to grow and for them to diversify their business into other areas other than liquor. They are welcome," Ngatjizeko told Xinhua.

The trip to Namibia by the Moutai executives follows a similar trip to Cape Town, South Africa last week.

Moutai, which predominately thrives on Chinese domestic sales, is looking at expanding its distribution network across Africa.

The businesses delegation is expected to fly out to Mozambique after the Namibian leg of their trip.