The Tavern Tatler

THE TAVERN TATLER At its annual local distribution partner (LDP) lekgotla at the Birchwood Hotel in Boksburg on 27 February, CocaCola Beverages South Africa (CCBSA) announced that it will be transitioning 106 of its LDPs onto its SAP enterprise resource planning system. Once the transition is complete, all 143 LDPs will be using the SAP system. The LDP programme is part of the CCBSA route to market strategy, enabling the company to reach its customers in the townships and rural areas. Working closely with the LDPs, CCBSA has ensured smoother delivery and customer service, but it has also created much-needed opportunities for entrepreneurs. Ninety per cent of LDPs are from previously disadvantaged groups. “Not only do LDPs create work opportunities for themselves, they employ drivers, crew and warehouse staff from local communities. In a country like ours, every opportunity for job creation should be nurtured”, says Ntuthu Mabengu, the third party distribution excellence manager at CCBSA. “This is a highly significant move for our distributor network because it means they can now deliver to all customers in their delivery area. Previously, certain of our customers could not accept deliveries from LDPs because they were not using the right system. We therefore anticipate that this would have the effect of expanding our LDPs’ customer base and creating new opportunities,” Mabengu said. “Putting all our LDPs onto the same system that we use is something of a milestone because it shows how successful this programme has been. Essentially what we have done is help small businesses, most of them black- and black female-owned, grow to become true business partners. We believe that’s genuine empowerment,” Mabengu said. Addressing the LDPs, Rakesh Rajbally, strategy and marketing director at CCBSA, said, “Despite a tough trading environment in 2018, we still managed to grow our customer service to our townships through our LDP distribution by 7%. This success and growth is attributed to the passion with which LDP partners have embraced this business opportunity and the mutually beneficial relationship and partnerships between CCBSA and LDPs.” Coca-Cola Beverages SA to transition 106 distributors onto SAP NEWS FOR THE LIQUOR TRADE

SAB supports recycling start-ups in Tembisa Heineken opens an investment tap to improve the management of water resources The Heineken South Africa Foundation is partnering with the World Wildlife Fund for Nature (WWF-SA) South Africa to help informal and underserved communities better manage their freshwater resources. The foundation is providing a R1.2million grant to WWF-SA over the course of a year, which will be used to help fund a water conservation project in Ncotshane Township near Pongola in KwaZulu-Natal. Within this informal settlement, challenges for the community include water leaks inside and outside property boundaries, spilling sewerage systems and alien invasive plants. As part of the project, Pongola Enviro Champs, who consist of community volunteers – mainly women and young people – are responsible for fixing household leaks, reporting sewerage spillages as well as illegal dump sites to the local municipality. Across the globe demand for water has doubled in the past 50 years. If society does not change the way it uses water, we could face a 40% supply gap by 2030. “Water is the ultimate shared resource. As one of the world’s biggest brewers, Heineken must use water wisely and ensure our suppliers and partners do the same,” says Gerrit van Loo, managing director of Heineken South Africa. Through Heineken’s sustainability agenda, Brewing a Better World, the beer-making giant is reducing the water it uses in its breweries and treating the water it discharges back into the environment. Among other benefits, this has resulted in a decrease in water consumption across its footprint of global breweries since 2008. In South Africa, Heineken has reduced its water usage by 18%. “Beyond protecting water source areas, this project also allows us to provide skills development to job seekers and by so doing, help improve people’s lives,” says Millicent Maroga, Heineken South Africa’s corporate affairs director. The grant will enable WWF-SA to upskill volunteers and provide them with a stipend. The Enviro Champs complete training around the environment, basic financial management, computer literacy, street theatre to raise awareness within local schools, door-todoor knowledge building and conservation awareness. “Through initiatives such as these, we are able to assist communities, especially those in water-stressed areas, to help conserve this most precious resource,” concludes Maroga. SAB has developed a waste recovery programme in Tembisa, east of Johannesburg, supporting 54 previously unemployed young men and women organised into registered co-operatives and managing their own waste recycling businesses. In just a few months of operation, more than 700 tonnes of waste has been recycled, the majority of which (by weight) consists of glass. The earth’s natural resources are increasingly coming under pressure as demand increases alongside global consumerism. At the same time, significant value is lost by not maximising the recovery, recycling and reuse of products. “SAB recognises the importance of adopting a circular economy approach to its operations with a focus on product packaging,” says Bishen Morgan, procurement director for sustainability & capabilities at SAB and AB InBev Africa. By 2025, SAB expects 100% of its packaging to be returnable or made from majority recycled content. Waste collectors participating in the programme are provided with training on health and safety, business and financial literacy, upcycling and waste repurposing. In addition, SAB also supports them with assets, such as vehicles and waste processing equipment, to improve recovery and collection efficiencies. “Participants in the Tembisa recycling project have been able to put the infrastructure and training provided to good use and to help improve their lives. Equally, there is a culture of recycling being nurtured within the community which has an additional positive impact on everyone,” says Sifiso Ngobese of Unconventional Waste, who managed ithe mplementation of the project.