Marathon Sugar meets the international food standards

*NDAMA NAKASHOLE MARATHON Sugar, which trades under Tongaat Hulett, says it now meets international food standards requirements.

The company, which turned 25 years recently, has met the International Standardisation Organisation (ISO) 22000, which deals with food safety.

The ISO 22000 family of International Standards addresses food safety management and contains a number of standards, each focusing on different aspects of food safety management. Marathon imports sugar from South Africa.

According to the company’s managing director, Gielie van Zyl, the company has worked hard to achieve this international standard.

“We spent a lot of money in the past three years just to achieve this” he said.

Recently, the government announced the food package safety policy. When asked if packaging and branding are ready, van Zyl said “We are busy preparing ourselves to take a first step and be ready for it.”

Van Zyl added that the company has grown since 1990 thanks to its consistency in supply and quality.

“In the first year of this brand in Namibia, we did less than 6 000 tonnes for the whole year”, he said, adding that now, 25 years later, the company produces 10 times more.

Van Zyl said having a sugar plant in Namibia is not part of their short term plan.

He said although most of their customers are big shops, small entities make up 40% of customers. The company employs over 200 people.

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