Chris Wulff-Caesar, the Managing Director of Unilever Ghana, has clarified reports suggesting the relocation of its Lipton tea production line to its Nigerian subsidiary, Ekaterra, due to unfavourable business conditions in Ghana.
He disclosed that this move is part of a global strategy to optimize operations and leverage the strengths of its subsidiaries, not driven by local macro-economic challenges.
“Certain decisions are made at the global level, impacting us locally. Around 2019, we transferred our oils and spreads business to another company, Upfield, which is next door to us. This is part of a global strategy to focus on core categories within the organization,” Wulff-Caesar explained in an interview with Citi Business News.
“The tea story is very similar, this is not a Unilever Ghana decision, let me be very clear. This is a global strategy decision to offload its tea operations to allow it to operate in a way that is more efficient and not as part of the current set-up of the way we operate as Unilever globally. The tea operations leaving Ghana have nothing to do with “Dumsor” or activities in Ghana. It is a global strategy decision. The new company Eketerra has taken over that business and not Unilever Nigeria. The decision started in 2021, it took time for it to take effect.”
Wulff-Caesar reassured that Ghana remains an attractive investment destination for Unilever, with ongoing investments in its local factory.
“Unilever still sees Ghana as a good place for investment and is here to stay,” he added.
Source: www.ghanaweb.live