It seems that companies with a nose for a good bargain are circling the Northern Coffee Corporation Limited.

The Zambia Development Agency has revealed that three companies have shown an interest in the coffee company – apparently, the agency had injected funds into the Northern Coffee Corporation (which went into receivership), to try to boost the business, so that it might be saleable as a going concern.

Who are the three interested parties?

Savenda Consortium and Group Africa Agric from South Africa, SilverStreet Private Equity Strategies and also Olam International Limited have expressed an interest in the coffee company.

Once known as Kasama Coffee, Northern Coffee Corporation has 124 staff.

It is hoped that new ownership of the company will create employment and make a contribution towards alleviating poverty in Kasama.

The company started operations in March last year and decided to plant wheat as well as a coffee nursery, in both Kasama and also Mbala.

By selling the company to a consortium of buyers (or a single buyer) with the appropriate experience and resources, Northern Coffee could be used successfully to produce agricultural products, together with coffee.

Let’s hope that these advances result in a successful operation and the creation of some delicious coffee products to treat our tastebuds.