Following the official handover of the three Nissan NP200 Pick Up vehicle — one each from the three regions of the country that were identified at the final draw of the Iponyereninso Kwakuya Ndi Illovo promotion — Illovo Sugar Malawi Plc, is proud to announce that it has successfully honoured all the prizes it pledged for the competition, whose total cost in prizes was at K178 million.
The three Nissan NP200 Pick Up are; Lazalo Manuel from the Central Region (presented in Dedza on 30th March 2022); Cuthbert Mwamlima from the Northern Region (presented in Karonga 1st April, 2022; and Dorica Ngamwani from the Southern Region (presented in Nsanje winner 4th April, 2022)
There were six winners of the Nissan NP200 Pick Up and the others were officially handed their prizes soon after the penultimate draw, and they are: Gilbert Mbwagha — a businessperson from the Northern Region who was presented at Mzuzu sugar depot; Emmanuel Nkurunziza from the Central Region, presented in Lilongwe
All the prizes have been honoured since the promotion was launched on 26th November 2021 and in total there were: The six Nissan NP200 Pick Up for Stockists who were required to purchase a minimum of 2 tons or more of sugar; 3 Big Boy motorbikes in each of the three regions, as well as 36 bicycles and 36 50kg bags of fertilizer for the grocers and table tops
For our shoppers/consumers, we giving away 3 cookers, 3 fridges and 3 shopping vouchers
We also gave away numerous instant prizes in the form of buckets, zitenje, T-shirts and Illovo sugar packets to shoppers through our instore promotions at various participating supermarkets
From the outset, the ‘IPONYERENINSO KWAKUYA NDI ILLOVO’ promotion received overwhelming support and when he presented the Nissan NP200 Pick Up to Southern Region winner Dorica Ngamwani on 4th of April 2022 sincerely thanked her for being one of our valued customers.
He said “I am happy to see that we have built some very strong relationships with many of our customers. It is my promise that we shall continue to work on ways to continue to improve those relationships through provision of exceptional service and best quality product. Be assured we will continue to innovate in order to meet the different customer and consumer needs.
During the presentation for the Northern Region winner Cuthbert Mwamlima on 1st April, 2022, he said: “I and the rest of Illovo Sugar Malawi team are honoured to serve you and all our other customers as you all form one of the pillars that make our business a success. I would also like to add that Karonga is one of our key markets and is of significant value to our business.
“Not only that but it is also the highway for our regional exports to Tanzania and Rwanda. Its strategic purpose for the country is indeed unquestionable. As much as it is a gateway for the importation and exportation of goods, not all these goods are imported or exported legally.
“As some of you may be aware Illovo Sugar Malawi and indeed various other Malawian manufacturers have been victims to the effects of illegal products that find their way into our markets resulting in grave consequences for the country.”
The MD further said “impacts of illegal imports is often understated by those who do not fully understand how gravely they affect our economy. Illegal imports not only mean that local industries are affected which can lead to loss of market and thus threatening jobs and livelihood of fellow Malawians; they also have great impact on the provision of public services such as health, education, infrastructure development amongst others from the taxes lost as these goods do not pass appropriate processes for customs. This is before you bring in the adverse effects of depleting our foreign currency reserves, a key concern on its own.
“It is however good to see that the practice currently has subsided as far as sugar is concerned. Long may this last. It is traders such as Mr Curthbert Mwamlima who play a key role in ensuring that Karonga is well stocked of Illovo sugar at affordable prices to make illegal sugar imports unnecessary.
“And this is why we are dedicated to understanding our customers’ needs and ensuring we continuously look for ways to make their business more successful. This is the reason we have a dedicated sales representative who services Karonga and nearby districts here in the North.”
He also took the opportunity to express his delight that Mr. Mwamlima afforded him the chance to visit and appreciate even more how beautiful Karonga District is, saying he does not get to visit as many parts of the country as often as he would like to so and thus it was a pleasure that he did.
“Not only because I get to appreciate this beautiful place, its amazing people and culture, but I also get to help create a lasting memory for one Mr Cuthbert Mwamlima.
“Mwamlima is the 5th to receive a vehicle of the 6 winners of the Nissan NP 200 vehicles this year. I am honoured to be here to present this car to you sir and I really do hope that it adds value to you and your business.
“I have never won a vehicle myself so I wouldn’t know how exactly you feel but I can only imagine that it must be absolutely phenomenon. Which is why I would like to end here to give you a chance to tell us what this moment means to you.”
In his remarks, Mr. Mwamlima hailed the company for the promotion, describing it as a big motivation to him.
The winner in Dedza — 56-year-old Lazaro Emmanuel a businessman who plies his trade at Dedza’s Msikawanjala and the name of his shop is Taope Amene Alibe Traders said: “I am very happy and thankful to God for winning this car which is a very big prize.
“I know there were a lot of entries in the competition but luckily I am one of the winners. On the same note, I would also like to thank Illovo Sugar Company for organising this competition which has changed my life and others who have also been winning several prizes.
“As a businessman, this vehicle will help improve my business to ferry other products which I buy from other traders and not only that I am also a farmer and I will be using the same vehicle to transport farm inputs like manure, fertilizers and seeds for my field,” he added.
He also expressed his gratitude to Simama Traders for opening a branch in Dedza where traders like himself are buying sugar easily and when the promotion was announced he continued placing receipts in Simama’s promotion box until the day he received a call from Illovo officials telling him that he had won the car.
According to Lazaro at first he thought it was conmen who were trying to steal from him but when he realised it was real, he and his family were overwhelmed with joy and they had been waiting eagerly for the official handover of the car which has finally happened.
The promotion was first launched in 2020 under the name ‘Iponyereni Kwakuya ndi Illovo’ and away then renamed in 2021 we as ‘Iponyereninso Kwakuya ndi Illovo’, which prompted Katandula to describing it as befitting the name.
At the grand draw, MD Katandula said looking back over the last two years, he realises that this could also apply to our customers. It is you our customers, consumers and various others stakeholders amene mukuiponyera kwakuya ndi Illovo.
“Without your support we wouldn’t have made it this far and achieved the significant milestones we have achieved such as stirring the company back into stable waters from previously challenging years to where we are now able to give our shareholders a dividend.
In her remarks the Southern Region winner Dorica Ngamwani said” I Thank Illovo for giving for this wonderful gift I would encourage other people to join these types of competitions”
“We posted healthy profits in the financial year ended 31st August 2021 and have also published a good trading statement for the half year ended 28 February 2022.
The terms of the promotion were that to qualify for a monthly draw, Table tops were required to purchase a minimum of 2 bales or more of sugar to qualify for the monthly as well as the bi-monthly draws while shoppers stood a chance to win monthly prizes by purchasing 3 or more kilograms of sugar from participating supermarkets.
Once the stockist, grocer, table top or shopper/consumer make the purchase, they are simply required to write their name and contact number at the back of the MRA receipt and deposit it in one of the specially designated boxes.
Retail customers also had something sweet for them as all they needed was to buy 3 kgs or more of any Illovo sugar to stand a chance of winning cookers, fridges and K250,000 worth of shopping vouchers.
The interesting part of the shopping voucher at Shoprite was that the winning had to pick up whatever they wanted up to K250,000 in a 60 seconds trolley blitz — but won’t receive any change if they fail to reach the target.