Online Reporter
Nqobile Bhebhe, Zimpapers Business Hub
BREAD maker, Baker’s Inn, and clothing retailer Edgars’ manufacturing division, Carousel, are leading industrial revival in Bulawayo following significant investments in cutting-edge technology and modern production systems.
The two firms are not only enhancing production efficiencies but are also playing a pivotal role in accelerating Zimbabwe’s re-industrialisation agenda under the Second Republic.
Baker’s Inn, a division of Victoria Falls Stock Exchange-listed Innscor Africa, has invested close to US$27 million in a second plant at its Belmont factory, as part of its ambitious expansion programme.
The state-of-the-art facility is now churning out over 200 000 loaves of bread per day, significantly ramping up supply to meet growing demand.
The new plant is powered by advanced automation, including robotics and precision machinery that streamline key processes such as mixing, cutting, moulding, and packaging, reducing human error and improving hygiene and consistency.
“From the new factory, on average, we produce 160 000 loaves a day. We have the capacity to produce 245 000 loaves of bread per day with additional volumes from the old plant, which is now under care and maintenance,” said Mr Frecious Mpofu, Baker’s Inn managing director for the southern region.
“At the new factory, we are using the latest high-tech in the world, and it is probably the only such production line in Southern Africa outside South Africa. Robots are now part of the process from dough handling to slicing and packaging, which ensures speed, precision and efficiency,” he said.
Meanwhile, Carousel is undergoing a robust retooling transformation with a target to produce 100 000 clothing units per month.
The company has already invested over US$1 million since 2024, with a marked improvement in production capacity, employment and operational efficiency.
Managing director Mr Menfree Tanyanyiwa said the positive momentum was being fuelled by strategic equipment upgrades, increased orders and skills training.
“We are on a massive retooling exercise and we have invested in a lot of machinery. We have a team that is now in Italy undergoing training because we are acquiring cutting machinery that will enhance productivity,” he said.
“We are now producing in the region of 45 000 units per month. We expect the targets to improve to about 65 000 units per month as we get to summer. The overall target is to get to 100 000 units per month. We can easily go back to the 1999 levels of producing 100 000 units,” said Mr Tanyanyiwa.
He noted that employment has also seen a steady rise.
“As at the end of June, the factory had 521 people employed, 64,5 percent of them female. We expect employment figures to increase in the summer period,” he said.
Mr Tanyanyiwa also revealed that the firm had recorded 50 percent growth in the past two years and is “on solid ground now,” with plans to further scale up by December.
A high-level delegation from the Ministry of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, comprising Deputy Minister Dr Omphile Marupi, permanent secretary Mr Nick Mangwana and director of media services Mr George Chisoko, toured both plants on Friday to assess progress.
The tour gave Government officials a first-hand appreciation of how private sector-led innovation, underpinned by strong policy support, is rejuvenating Zimbabwe’s manufacturing sector.
The developments at Baker’s Inn and Carousel represent a broader narrative of transformation in Bulawayo, which is steadily reclaiming its position as the country’s industrial hub.
