Ohlthaver & List (O&L), a Namibia-based conglomerate, has taken a majority stake in local meat business Hartlief for an undisclosed sum.

O&L, a company involved in food production, fishing, beverages, farming, retail trade and information technology, said the deal will unlock “the full potential” of the southern African country’s meat industry.

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It has acquired the shares held by Christo van Niekerk, chairman of the Hartlief Group.

Sven Thieme, executive chairman of the O&L Group, said: “This investment allows us to consolidate opportunities within Hartlief and Windhoek Schlachterei, so doing enabling Namibia to compete with the best in the world, bringing Namibian goodness to SADC [the Southern African Development Community] and beyond.”

Processed meat producer Windhoek Schlachterei, established in 1973, is part of the O&L Group.

Van Niekerk said: “Just like Hartlief, the O&L Group is a proudly Namibian entity which shares similar values and beliefs to those we have held over the years of growing Harlief in Namibia. I trust that this will allow for the realisation of unique synergies between these two long- standing Namibian businesses to the benefit of not only the shareholders and employees, but also of the Namibian nation as a whole.”

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His O&L Group colleague, CEO Wessie van der Westhuizen, added: “We have to go beyond borders in order to secure economic growth, and what better opportunity than to build forth on what Namibia is already known for, our quality meat.”

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