Since 1979, Mount Meru Group has brought Petroleum Products, Edible Oil, and Logistics to East and Central Africa. With their headquarters in Dubai, they are able to attract top talent to their management team while maintaining a sense of family amongst their now 6000 employees. As the energy industry shifts its focus to sustainable and eco-friendly solutions, Mount Meru Group is rising to the challenge of “coexistence” between man and nature, all while searching for solutions that are accessible to the people of Sub-Saharan Africa, where more than 40% of people live in extreme poverty.

Reliable electricity continues to be a common issue in Africa as a continent and in most of the countries that Mount Meru Group operates in. This means that the unreliable infrastructure of electric cooking stoves will never be a viable solution for more than 60% of the population, resulting in hunger and health issues. Amongst Mount Meru Group’s most promising sustainable advancements has been the introduction of Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG), which is an environmentally friendly source of energy.  With a cost that is 50-65% less expensive than natural gas, and easy to transport, LPG creates opportunities for even the lowest-income families to cook on a regular basis. It is for this reason that Mount Meru Group introduced their 6Kg cylinder with built-in stove, so that “anyone and everyone” can afford and have access to a reliable cooktop.

Mount Meru Group is Taking Real Action to Create a Sustainable Future

Since their inception in Tanzania more than four decades ago, MMG has grown to encompass 300 Meru-branded gas stations in 15 countries, as well as 10 edible oil plants and a fleet of 950 Meru-branded supply chain vehicles. Encompassing eight companies across three business verticals, MMG has become a Top 10  company in both Energy and Agriculture in every country that they operate in.  Their integrated logistics division brings efficiency to their Energy and Agriculture divisions, allowing them to achieve tremendous growth in addition to providing great service. Now, MMG is looking towards the future of their business and of Africa.

As a first step, MMG has begun installing solar panels on their gas stations with the intention of producing energy to be stored in batteries to act as a power backup in lieu of diesel generators. The same thing is underway at their factories, with a plan for all Meru gas stations and manufacturing plants to be fully solar-powered through natural energy infrastructure by the year 2030.

The next step will include the installation of Electric Motor Vehicle infrastructure (i.e. charging bays) and Swappable Batteries for 2-wheelers at all existing gas stations.

Setting up additional LPG plants across Africa will help to reduce the cost of cooking infrastructure since the traditional (expensive) electric range is out of reach for many consumers in the region in which Meru operates.

The creation of Recycling campaigns and proper waste management systems is another priority as MMG seeks to reduce its carbon footprint and carbon emissions company-wide.

Mount Meru Group’s Success is Impacting Africa

Through their Agricultural division, MMG seeks to create a lasting impact on farmers, consumers, and employees. In a unique position to do an enormous amount of good, MMG has three large-scale programs in place to nourish the communities they call home.

• The Farmer’s Outgrower’s Scheme assures the purchase of their farmers’ yields, while providing training and exposure to new farming techniques to improve and increase future yields.

• Feed The Child is an initiative that was introduced into government schools that require financial and administrative support. In order to increase attendance and promote education, Mount Meru Group has taken on the full responsibility of providing and distributing healthy vegetarian meals to all students, every day. MMG is currently providing about 100,000 meals per day with a plan in place to achieve 1 million meals per day by the year 2030.

• Through the Avinash Scholarship Fund, every Mount Meru Group employee who wishes to pursue further education for themselves or for their children is eligible to receive scholarship money to do so. This program was specifically designed for African Nationals who have financial hardships that have created hurdles to achieving their educational aspirations.

Mount Meru Group is Creating Solutions

Operating a business conglomerate headquartered in the UAE, with a presence in 15 African countries and business support units in India, is no small feat. The daily challenges of doing business in one of the poorest regions of the world, without reliable infrastructure, could feel insurmountable to many. But for Mount Meru Group, every challenge is an opportunity: for growth, for improved health, and for innovation. Creating a sustainable and accessible future for Sub-Saharan Africa is possible because of Mount Meru Group and their dedication to the cause. East and Central Africa is in good hands with Mount Meru Group.