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Business Reporter
ZIMBABWE’S premier shoemaker, Bata Shoe Company, will launch an online and home delivery service to boost shoe sales beyond the current 2,5 million pairs a year.

The Bata Online and Home Delivery Service is expected to be introduced to the market by the end of the year.

Finance director Mr Nicholas Mudaly said the online and home delivery service is just but one of the new initiatives the company is introducing to the market this year as it sees a potential business growth.

Some of the new initiatives include a regional expansion drive, opening of new shops locally and regionally and renovation of existing infrastructure.

Mr Mudaly said under the regional expansion drive the shoemaker opened three new stores as well as renovated a further three in spite of the market decline.

“Investment in 2015 included the retail expansion, product development, IT infrastructure and systems development. The initiatives are in anticipation of a positive 2015,” said Mr Mudaly.

The company is also targeting a further $200 000 new revenue from its new non- retail sales department.

“We are also in the process of developing a new non-retail sales department that will indirectly have about 200 employees in the first stage and generate revenue of at least $200 000 by the end of this year,” said Mr Mudaly.

Government is in the process of crafting a leather and leather products strategy which looks at the value chain from the production of hides to the finished products.

The strategy will also focus on ensuring the availability of cattle for the production of hides. Bata currently has about 1 400 employees and supports three associate business units in the Midlands province.