Honeywell Flour Mills to increase investment in local content development, shareholders’ value
By Kayode Tokede
Leading foods manufacturer, Honeywell Flour Mills Plc. (HFMP), has informed shareholders of its 10-year-plan to increase investment in innovative product development and advanced technology infrastructure, with continued focus on operational efficiency and local content development as the key strategic drivers for increasing shareholder value and growing market share during the next financial year.
The company reiterated its commitment to sustainable growth within the industry and the provision of affordable staple foods to Nigeria’s fast-growing population, during its 12th Annual General Meeting (AGM) which held in Lagos on Thursday.
Chairman of the Board of Directors, Dr. Oba Otudeko CFR, acknowledged the complexities of the past financial year while highlighting the company’s steady growth and its focus on the future, “When the financial year 2020/2021 commenced, few could have imagined what the year had in store for the company and the world.
“We responded by working collaboratively towards the execution of our corporate goals, guided by clear priorities; keeping our people safe and motivated, ensuring supply of our food products to consumers across the length and breadth of the country, and caring for the communities where we operate. Despite the inevitable disruption to our business, we delivered a strong performance in very challenging circumstances.”
In respect of the future, Otudeko says, “While we expect market conditions to remain tough and the effects of COVID-19 may be with us for the foreseeable future, our company has shown the capacity to withstand shocks and emerge stronger. And with consumer behaviour evolving faster than ever, we are adapting to this new reality by executing with speed in order to deliver competitive returns and meet the needs of our multiple stakeholders. We are committed to investing in the capabilities we need, the know-how and the talent to continue to create value.”
Managing Director Lanre Jaiyeola, says Honeywell Flour Mills Plc. has continued to seek innovative solutions for feeding the ever-growing Nigerian population, using affordable and easily accessible foods, while simultaneously combating inflation and rising food prices.
“In the past financial year, we achieved record production and sales volumes driven by consumer food products which also achieved record sales volume. Our investment in a new Pasta factory at Sagamu paid off greatly as we grew Pasta sales by over 40% to meet the generated demand for our Pasta products.
“The learnings from the developments in the past 12 months have encouraged the company to sharpen its focus and embark on a 10-year journey towards creating more value.
“Consequently, we have commenced a 10-year evolutionary journey that will see Honeywell Flour Mills transition to become Honeywell Foods. Our aim is to offer a portfolio of food products manufactured from a wide range of raw materials drawn from local sources that offer good nutrition and contribute to a healthier and balanced life. Our aim also aligns with the Federal Government’s commitment to achieving the United Nation’s 2030 Agenda of Sustainable Development Goals that seeks to ensure access to safe, nutritious and sufficient food.
“We will continue to focus on our competitive advantage and improve our product offerings in order to exceed our consumers’ expectations while increasing market share, and delivering value to our shareholders,” he stated.
The company recorded an all-time high revenue of N109.5 billion, an increase of 36% over N80.4 billion for the financial year ending March 2021. Increased production output, pioneering new ways of selling, developing relationships with new customers all over the country across traditional and modern trades, and more efficient operational capabilities at its factories in Apapa, Sagamu and Ikeja, were key contributing factors to the revenue increase. The company’s Operating Profit grew faster than revenue at 39%, from N5.4 billion in FY 2020 to N7.6 billion in FY 2021.
The Board recommended the payment of 7 kobo per share as dividend for the year subject to shareholders’ approval.
FY 2021 was the company’s best performing year ever revenue-wise as it crossed the 100 billion mark for the first time ever, joining an exclusive league of Nigerian companies with over 100 billion Naira annual revenue.
