Online Reporter
Tapiwanashe Mangwiro
Senior Business Reporter
Dairibord Holdings has invested a combined US$6,2 million in a solar power station and a new Steri Milk processing plant in Chipinge, to improve its energy security and strengthen the group’s manufacturing capacity.
The dairy processor built the 1 megawatt (MW) solar plant for US$2 million and put US$4,2 million into the new Steri Milk processing plant, with the projects expected to improve operational resilience, support local milk producers and advance value-added agro-processing.
The solar installation is intended to reduce the company’s reliance on electricity from the national grid and provide a cleaner and more reliable source of power for the Steri Milk plant.
Dairibord group chief executive officer Mercy Ndoro said the investment was part of the company’s broader strategy to build a more resilient and sustainable business.
“The Chipinge solar plant investment demonstrates our commitment to building a resilient, efficient and sustainable business.
“Reliable energy is fundamental to our operations and this investment significantly reduces our reliance on grid electricity while helping to manage utility costs over the long term,” Ms Ndoro said.
She said the project also reflected the company’s commitment to environmental sustainability and Zimbabwe’s transition towards renewable energy.
“Beyond the operational benefits, the project reflects our commitment to responsible environmental stewardship and supporting Zimbabwe’s transition towards clean, renewable sources of energy,” she said.
The solar project is expected to lower Dairibord’s energy costs and reduce exposure to electricity supply disruptions, factors that can affect the competitiveness of manufacturing operations.
Ms Ndoro said the company would continue pursuing investments that improve efficiency and secure production.
“As a business, we remain focused on investing in solutions that enhance operational efficiency, strengthen supply security and create sustainable value for all our stakeholders,” she said.
The Chipinge solar plant will also serve as a blueprint for Dairibord as it considers rolling out similar renewable energy projects across its manufacturing facilities.
Alongside the renewable energy investment, the company commissioned a new Steri Milk processing plant, expanding its capacity to produce sterilised long-life milk.
The expanded facility is expected to increase demand for locally produced milk, creating opportunities for dairy farmers and suppliers in Chipinge and surrounding districts.
The investment has positive implications beyond Dairibord’s operations, with increased processing capacity expected to support local economic activity and strengthen Zimbabwe’s dairy value chain.
The projects are also positioned within the Government’s broader industrialisation and devolution agenda, with Chipinge being strengthened as a strategic manufacturing hub for the group.
Dairibord said the investments were aligned with the National Development Strategy 2, 2026-2030, which identifies energy security, industrial modernisation and value-chain competitiveness as important components of Zimbabwe’s ambition to attain upper-middle-income economy status by 2030.
The company’s renewable energy investment is also consistent with the National Renewable Energy Policy and Zimbabwe’s nationally determined contributions under the Paris Agreement, which encourage greater adoption of cleaner and more efficient energy sources.
Ms Ndoro said the investments had significance beyond the company’s immediate commercial interests.
“More broadly, the investments contribute to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy), SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure) and SDG 13 (Climate Action), reflecting Dairibord’s commitment to conducting business in a manner that supports both national and global sustainability priorities,” she said.
The two projects form part of Dairibord’s long-term strategy of investing in infrastructure that strengthens supply security, improves competitiveness and supports sustainable value creation for shareholders and other stakeholders.
