Online Reporter
Harmony Agere
President Mnangagwa is expected to commission a new Cheetos snacks manufacturing plant by Varun Beverages Limited and lay the foundation stone for a new Juice and Dairy Blend Facility in Harare this morning, as the company deepens its investment in Zimbabwe’s manufacturing sector.
Senior Government officials, diplomats, industry leaders and business partners are expected to grace the ceremony.
Varun Beverages said the two projects marked “another major milestone in the company’s long-term commitment to Zimbabwe’s industrial growth, value addition, employment creation, and economic transformation under the President of Zimbabwe’s Vision 2030 agenda.”
The company said it had significantly expanded its operations in Zimbabwe over the past eight years after initially entering the market with a single beverage production line and an investment of about US$30 million.
“Beginning operations with a single beverage production line and an investment of approximately US$30 million, the company has now expanded into among the country’s leading beverage and food manufacturing operations with multiple production and backward integration lines,” said the company in a statement.
The business now directly employs around 2 000 people and supports about 13 000 indirect livelihoods in sectors such as logistics, retail, distribution, farming and allied industries.
The company said the new Cheetos manufacturing plant would boost local production and create employment opportunities for young Zimbabweans.
“The newly inaugurated Cheetos plant is expected to strengthen local manufacturing, reduce imports, promote technology transfer, develop local skills, and create additional employment opportunities for Zimbabwean youth,” the statement said.
Varun Beverages said early market response to locally manufactured Cheetos products had demonstrated Zimbabwe’s potential to become a regional manufacturing hub for snacks and beverages.
The company also announced that its new Juice and Dairy Blend Facility is expected to commence commercial production later this year.
“The upcoming Juice & Dairy Blend Facility, expected to commence commercial production later this year, will further expand opportunities for dairy farmers, fruit growers, packaging suppliers, transporters, and other local businesses connected to the supply chain,” the company said.
It said the project formed part of its broader strategy to increase local sourcing of raw materials while positioning Zimbabwe as a production and export hub for the African market.
