adminThe depot was closed down more than five years ago at the height of the economic challenges.
The Beitbridge depot is expected to increase the availability of affordable locally produced and packaged foodstuffs to wholesalers and retailers in the border town and surrounding areas.
The products that are available at the depot include Red Seal maize meal, both the Roller Meal and Pearlenta brands, Gloria flour, Red Seal self-raising flour, Mahatma Rice, Red Seal rice, Homepride cooking oil and a full range of stock feeds.
“In the past when retailers were transporting our goods from cities elsewhere the cost of transport tended to be passed on to consumers. Now, with a depot in the town, there are no transport costs for retailers,” a National Foods spokesperson said.
He said the decision to establish a depot in Beitbridge was in response to the demand for the company’s products.
“It should also enable Beitbridge residents, who have often relied on imported goods, to purchase locally produced or packaged goods at prices that compare favourably with their imported equivalent.
“The depot is selling these and many other products at wholesale price. Although it is a wholesale depot, goods can be purchased there by wholesalers and retailers,” said the spokesperson.
National Foods depots are not only sales points but also collection points for raw materials used in the production of various foodstuffs.
Depots also buy agricultural produce from local farmers.
Meanwhile, the agro-food processing firm this week re-commissioned its Bulawayo flour milling plant while in Mutare the company commissioned a $700 000 new rice packaging plant, a move meant to satisfy increasing demand for the company’s products.
Prior to commissioning the rice plant, National Foods packaged rice in Harare.
Online Reporter