In conversation with Profile, Cláudia Manjate, Director of Public Relations and Corporate Communications at OLAM Mozambique, shares her views on Superbrands Mozambique and discusses the challenges and expectations of Corporate Marketing in Mozambique.

Profile Mozambique: What is OLAM Mozambique?

Cláudia Manjate: OLAM Mozambique is a multinational agribusiness company, supplying products and raw materials worldwide. In Mozambique, we have had a portfolio that includes the development and processing for export of crops such as cotton and cashew nuts, the processing and distribution of cooking oil, and the import and marketing of rice. Present at national level since 1998, Olam’s actions have contributed to improving food security, as well as securing markets for the communities that operate in its value chain.

However, at the moment, we have a greater focus on two business units: (1) Food Oil and Soaps with 2 factories in Maputo and Beira and (2) importing rice from our operations in Vietnam, which is then distributed here on the domestic market in addition to buying agricultural products (cotton, sesame) for export.

We’re in 75 countries around the world, most of which are in Africa, so it’s a company with roots in Africa.

PM: Let’s talk about the main events that have made a positive impact on the company and contributed to its growth during 2023.

CM: OLAM has been on the Mozambican market for 30 years, and we’re celebrating in 2023. To say that it has been a journey crowned with growth and transformation over time, obviously trying to adjust to the needs of the market in order to assert itself and respond to the needs of the end consumer.

We’re talking about food products which, although they’re never missing from Mozambicans’ tables, in particular, are products with a lot of competition on the market, if we’re talking about cooking oil, there’s a lot of South African cooking oil entering the country, in short, we know that we’re in a country with porous borders, that it’s easy to evade tax, so in the midst of this context there’s all this work to affirm the brands, communication with the end consumer, which is to educate them about their choices.

PM: Will there be any concrete new products from Olam?

CM: This year, right at the beginning, OLAM launched a new brand of rice, in fact, the brand is returning to the market after disappearing for two years, which is Arroz Feliz Família, a brand that is already known and has now returned to the market for our consumers, and we set ourselves a challenge at our cooking oil production plant, which is the production of olive oil, a more refined product, which the Mozambican market is also beginning to demand, and we brought this in right at the end of last year.

Di Olivia Sabor is already available on the Mozambican market and we have been advertising these brands on various communication platforms, from social networks to television channels.

PM: As a communications professional, what is your perspective on the meaning and importance of the Superbrands distinction for Mozambican brands?

CM: I see Superbrands as a platform, firstly, for stimulating brands, because when we know we’re being scrutinized, evaluated, we tend to work towards excellence. So Superbrands brings this strong arm that helps reward brands, so brands know they’re being watched and they also start to have a much greater responsibility.

In other words, having an entity like this, which recognizes the efforts of brands, which monitors the impact that these brands are making and the transformation, longevity and all the other elements that they carry and that materialize brands, is very important because it brings a whole debate on marketing positioning to a Mozambican context in which we need to improve and grow, precisely in this area of communication and marketing.

PM: What is your assessment of the attitude of Mozambican companies in the context of marketing, considering the current scenario? What are the challenges and opportunities facing these companies in terms of marketing and communication strategies?

CM: It’s still in its infancy and challenging, because I think we’re now beginning to see the importance of having a solid communications team within companies that is dedicated to doing communications, not as an appendage, but as an integral part of the business.

So it’s still a challenge, because what we often see at the moment is that companies don’t have a communications and marketing department. In fact, they do communication and marketing activities in an ad-hoc and unstructured way, or as a team, requested mainly in times of crisis, which is to manage the corporate image and not necessarily a solid team, which is from conception, design, which helps the brand grow and harmonized its position and language.

So it’s a challenge. In a timid way, corporate awareness is starting to grow and initiatives like this one by Superbrands and others focusing on brands are bringing this need and this discussion to the fore and companies are starting to realize the importance of brand marketing and communication.

PM: As a Superbrands Board Member, what recommendations do you have for companies that have not yet been invited to take part in this assessment? What can they improve in terms of performance in order to stand out in the market and deserve an invitation from Superbrands?

CM: Human beings are driven by emotions, and brands only stand out if they can understand this. Covid has distanced us a little and turned emotions and direct contact, including that with brands, into things like emojis and stickers. Brands have also suffered from this distancing and personal contact.

So, one of the big elements that Superbrands brings is a shake-up in brands, drawing their attention to start considering other elements behind the brand recommending look, to how we tell the stories behind our brands.

Every brand has a story of production, a story of transformation, a story of impact, a story of job creation and it’s these stories that consumers want to hear, because it’s these stories that will make the difference in their decision to buy a product or another of the same kind.

Where do the products come from? How are they produced? What jobs are they generating? What kind of transformation is taking place? What is the level of quality in the preparation process?

So all these elements that are actually behind the brand, they are what make it great. And the more companies realize it, the sooner companies will realize that this type of communication is important and that consumers are looking for it because it identifies them, it’s a way of identifying them with brands, it brings the human element that brands lack.

That’s what brings excellence, that’s what will also bring more brands to the superbrands and become part of this family.

Get to know Cláudia Manjate by connecting to her LinkedIN profile: Claudia Manjate

Brief Profile

Almost 15 years of experience in managing and communicating with stakeholders, from civil society to industry perspectives (extractive sector).

Her strengths include: mobilization and advocacy, research and strategic analysis, consensus building and public relations.