Online Reporter
Varun Beverages Ltd. (VBL), one of PepsiCo’s largest and global award-winning franchise bottlers and the second-largest bottler worldwide outside the United States, has announced a major expansion of its food and beverage portfolio in Zimbabwe.
The expansion strengthens the Company’s presence in the FMCG sector through the launch of internationally recognised snack brands alongside its established beverage operations.
As part of this growth initiative, Varun Beverages has commissioned a new snacks manufacturing facility in Zimbabwe and has commenced production of soft extruded snack products under PepsiCo’s globally renowned Cheetos brand.
The foundation stone for the snacks plant was laid by the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe, Dr Cde E D Mnangagwa, in December 2024 and is now ready for inauguration by His Excellency at the end of the month of February or March 2026.
The new launch includes Cheetos puffs and ring-shaped snacks, complementing VBL’s existing snack portfolio of Lay’s, Doritos, and SIMBA. The rollout will introduce five new flavours across multiple pack sizes and formats, resulting in approximately 20 new SKUs designed to deliver greater variety and affordability to consumers.
Company leadership stated that the broader snacks portfolio is expected to expand the overall market and encourage further industry participation alongside rising consumer demand. The strategy focuses on increasing product choice while maintaining accessible price points.
Varun Beverages established its beverage manufacturing operations in Zimbabwe in 2018 and has since contributed significantly to sector development across sparkling beverages, packaged drinking water, and energy drinks. Industry volumes in the LRB category have grown multiple times compared with 2017-2018 levels, supported by innovation, expanded distribution, and new product introductions.
Increased competition and operational efficiencies have also helped improve affordability across categories, making the products available to new customers.
Management of Varun Zimbabwe noted that Zimbabwe’s evolving economic environment and improving currency stability are creating new investment opportunities across the FMCG sector, especially beverages. The company emphasised that growth in the market allows multiple players to succeed simultaneously while strengthening the overall industry ecosystem.
Ongoing year-on-year investments and capacity expansions by Varun Beverages Zimbabwe have generated employment, strengthened market infrastructure, and expanded rural distribution networks.
The company has enhanced its last-mile delivery capabilities, increasing product availability across semi-urban and rural markets.
Varun Beverages currently deploys nearly 400 trucks daily across its distribution network, ensuring consistent supply to retail and wholesale channels. Its portfolio is widely available across leading B2C and B2B outlets, including Pick’n Pay, Spar, N Richards, Gain, Metro, and Mega Save.
The company also highlighted that the introduction of maize-based snacks and the upcoming Carlsberg beer production unit are expected to support Zimbabwe’s agricultural sector by increasing demand for maize and barley. These initiatives are designed to build stronger linkages between corporate manufacturing and local farming communities.
The CEO of Varun Beverages Zimbabwe stated that the expanded maize-based snacks and beverage projects are expected to generate substantial additional demand, creating more income opportunities for thousands of farmers and strengthening the broader agricultural value chain.
