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Oliver Kazunga, Senior Business Reporter
LEADING bread manufacturer Bakers Inn says work to install a $5 million production line at its Belmont factory in Bulawayo is 80 percent complete.
The new production line, which would be operational by the end of next month, is expected to improve the Belmont factory’s output from 120 000 loaves a day to 220 000 loaves.
Bakers Inn general manager Mr Felix Vazhure told Business Chronicle yesterday that the new plant was expected to be operational at the end of next month.
“Our initial target was September but we are way ahead of the initial deadline,” he said.
It is hoped that the new plant would see Bakers Inn consolidating its market share in the southern part of the country.
The Belmont factory supplies Bulawayo, the Midlands, Matabeleland North, Matabeleland South and Masvingo provinces.
Mr Vazhure said the sssembling of the plant will be completed by the end of the month.
“We have already completed 80 percent of the work and we are confident to start production by the end of next month,” he said.
The Bulawayo factory is failing to meet demand hence it is getting additional 40 000 loaves a day from Harare.
The coming on board of the third production line would see the Bulawayo factory producing enough to meet demand.
The southern region sales volumes have been increasing steadily since 2014.
At the moment, the bread manufacturer employs 532 people in the southern region and the employment figures are expected to rise to about 740 when the new plant starts operating at full throttle.
@okazunga
Online Reporter