Malawi Bureau of Standards (MBS) has hailed Chibuku Products Limited (CPL) for its consistency and adherence to production standards, stressing that this is key to ensuring the safety and health of the customers.

Established in 1967, CPL has been the leading manufacturer of malt beverages such as beer and liquors in Malawi.

On Tuesday this week, CPL was among the 411 companies that were awarded with the certificates from MBS for their consistency and adherence to standards.

In her remarks before she presented the certificates in Mzuzu, MBS Director of Quality Assurance Services, Gloria Chionamwene Mereka, emphasized the need for companies to maintain quality standards in order to protect their customers from harm.

Mereka said substandard goods and services are expensive and counterproductive to the economic growth of the country.

“Quality products ensure the country’s products are competitive on the international market and have a competitive age to drive the country’s economy. Every country, even developed countries, have grown in the economy because of the SMEs. SMEs are the ones who form the backbone of each and every economy,” she said.

Mereka disclosed that MBS is collaborating with SMEDI and the Ministry of Industry and Trade through AGCOM Project in which they are hand-holding the SME so that they are able to attain the certification.

She said the bureau reduced the cost of certification to enable SMEs to attain certificates.

In his remarks CPL Operations Manager for the Northern Region, Patrick Dzanja, hailed MBS for its strictness in enforcing quality standards, saying this helps in ensuring competitiveness, which in turn makes sense providers and manufacturers offer quality services and products on the market.

“We are happiest people at Chibuku Products Limited. As you might be aware, we’ve been in existence for 60 years in production and receiving certificates, I think that’s a good thing to be proud of and to be happy,” reacted Dzanja.

In a similar event that was held in Blantyre, Chibuku Products Limited was also awarded certificates for Chibuku Shake Shake beer and the nutritious non-alcoholic Maheu beverage.

Meanwhile, MBS has warned that any company found not producing high quality products risk having its quality certificate revoked.