Diogo Caldas was speaking during a visit by the Portuguese Prime Minister, Luís Montenegro, to the Refriango factory, in Viana (Luanda), which this Wednesday marks the second day of his official schedule in Angola.
Refriango, belonging to Nutrigroup, was founded in 2005 and operates in various sectors, from industry to retail, including agribusiness and food, also working with partners from different areas.
Diogo Caldas highlighted that the operation in RDCongo began in 2023, with the factory currently under construction and expected to start production in January of next year, in an investment of 75 million dollars.
This is one of the pillars of the company's international growth, he highlighted, remembering that this is a market with 100 million people.
"So we decided to move forward with investment in the local production of some products. The idea will also be to maintain exports", he said.
The person in charge highlighted that exports "are a relevant lever" for Refriango, considering the current currency situation.
"It's something we have to work on and find alternatives", he highlighted.
The Portuguese Prime Minister, Luís Montenegro, stated, at the end of the visit, which also included Powergol, a company that operates in the electricity, energy and telecommunications sector, his "confidence" in the national capacity, highlighting the importance of these two "magnificent examples" and national knowledge to boost Angola's economy.
This is also "a good boost for the internationalization capacity of the Portuguese economy", he added, praising the national technical and business capacity.
"It's an example of what we are capable of", he said about Refriango, "an industrial colossus", remembering that the group was born in Portugal.
Refriango is currently the largest Portuguese industrial investment in Angola, having specialized in the production and distribution of soft drinks, juices, waters, energy drinks and alcoholic drinks with one of the largest industrial units on the African continent, in Luanda.
Refriango is part of the Nuvi Group, the family conglomerate of Portuguese businessman Luís Manuel Vicente, whose activity in Angola dates back to the 90s.
Refriango has already invested more than 600 million euros in Angola, employing more than 7000 people, including around 160 expatriates of Portuguese nationality, and exports to several regional markets, such as DRCongo, Namibia, South Africa, Guinea-Conakry, São Tomé and Príncipe and Cape Verde.
