It has dedicated a substantial amount of its shopping space to the local producers to help create awareness and boost the patronage of locally manufactured products and expose them to international customers.

It instituted the ‘Orca Ghana Market,’ a week-long opportunity that allowed indigenous producers to showcase their wares, make sales and establish business contacts with shoppers that troop into its retail shops in Accra.

The event was also meant to celebrate the country’s 65th Independence Day celebration on March 6 as well as cement the company’s position as a business geared towards helping grow Ghanaian businesses.

Participants

Orca Deco said in a statement that the event also formed part of its efforts to augment the government’s agenda of promoting the consumption and purchase of locally made products.

It said local vendors, comprising YAKA Foods, DAAR Living, Ambience by Talata, Bevy Bloom, Amba Gallery and Fara among others took advantage of the opportunity to display products ranging from fabric flowers, gift bags, frames, natural food spreads and pastes to natural plants and pots.

It said the rest of the locally produced products that were on display were local hand sanitisers, home scenting products, décor accents, fine stationery, creative gifting, home furniture and woven linens among others and that they were targeted at both individuals and corporate customers.

Duration

It said the fair, which began March 1, saw shoppers, including high-profile government and business officials, sampling and purchasing various locally produced items under a one-stop shop.

A Managing Partner at Orca Deco, Rayan Sharara, said the event affirmed Orca’s commitment to fostering the manufacturing and sale of locally made products.

He said the company was committed to using its established brand to promote quality made-in-Ghana products by offering the manufacturers space to retail their products in all its stores to boost the local economy.

Diversifying economy

Mr Sharara noted that Ghana had implemented wide-reaching policies to diversify its economy by expanding its local manufacturing capacity.

This, he said, was evident in the agenda to mobilise natural resources to produce high-value products for the export and local markets and emphasised that it was only proper that his outfit championed this agenda by becoming the first retail company to offer partnerships to Ghanaian manufacturers.

“I am aware that localising manufacturing by developing new factories, industrial parks and free zones are part of the government’s efforts to help address revenue shortfalls, reduce unemployment and alleviate poverty. Therefore, there is no better time than now for Orca to join this vision by contributing in its own small way to help the government and the people of Ghana to achieve this,” the MD said.