Cape Town - “Local is lekker” took on new meaning with hamburger franchise Burger King’s announcement that 5 000 jobs in five years were to be created from a R50 million meat manufacturing plant in Elsies River.
A joint venture with local company Excellent Meat, the plant will be able to produce three million patties a month by next year.
Burger King has opened 12 restaurants in the country, seven in Cape Town, since May.
Burger King SA chief executive Jaye Sinclair said the venture was critical in supporting the company’s national supply chain with a trusted and vetted supplier.
“Growth and investment into local business is important to Burger King’s expansion plans to remain the leading quick service restaurant chain in the country. With this in mind, we have partnered with a strong local business, with whom we’ve had a solid business relationship since our inception,” Sinclair said.
Burger King SA chairman Hassen Adams said the partnership would create job opportunities as the facility would be producing up to 70 tons of meat products a month.
The company was sourcing most of its ingredients from local suppliers and, by the end of the year, more than 92 percent of its products will be locally produced, Adams said. - Cape Times