Natfoods invests US$8.6m in Bulawayo wheat mill
National Foods Holdings invested $8.6 million in a Bulawayo wheat milling facility that the company believes will enable Zimbabwe to satisfy domestic flour requirements. The consumer staples producer allocated $6.5 million for mill installation and $2.1 million for packaging and handling equipment at the plant, which Vice President Constantino Chiwenga recently inspected.
The facility features energy-efficient technology designed to reduce environmental impact while maintaining product quality and affordability. Chief Executive Michael Lashbrook indicated the company has committed over $40 million across pasta, cereal, and biscuit production operations during recent years as part of a strategy to expand value-added manufacturing.
National Foods contracted 80,000 metric tons of locally grown wheat from the winter harvest, supporting regional farmers while reducing import dependency. Zimbabwe’s wheat production surged 538 percent to reach 600,045 metric tons from 94,000 metric tons in 2019, according to Treasury figures, exceeding national consumption levels.
