Harare - Nestlé SA, the world's biggest food and drink company, said Tuesday it has reopened a production site in Zimbabwe's capital after receiving reassurance from the government concerning the safety of its staff.
Nestlé closed its factory in Harare last month after government officials and authorities made an unannounced visit and ordered milk trucks to be unloaded. Police also questioned two local managers, releasing them without charges the same day.
"Normal business was no longer possible and the safety of its employees could not be guaranteed," said spokesperson Nina Backes of the closure.
"Since then, the local Nestlé management has been in regular contact with the Zimbabwean authorities to find a solution," she said.
The company decided to reopen the factory on December 31 after receiving written assurances from the Minister of Industry and Commerce guaranteeing the security of Nestlé management and staff and pledging not to interfere in the company's operating processes, Backes said.
Nestlé has come under pressure to buy milk from farms, including one that appears to belong to President Robert Mugabe. The company refused the demand.
Nestlé "reiterates its commitment to source milk exclusively from its contracted farmers," Backes said.
- Sapa