Talkmore Gandiwa
HARARE – National Foods Holdings is set to commit US$1.9 million towards the installation of a 2MW solar power plant and associated plant upgrades as it moves to cushion operations from persistent power outages that have weighed heavily on production and costs. However, this moves to step up investment in energy security and capacity expansion.
The move comes as increased electricity disruptions continue to disrupt manufacturing schedules and push up operational expenses, forcing companies to rely on costly alternative power sources. Against this backdrop, National Foods is prioritising investments that safeguard output while improving long-term efficiency.
In an interview, National Foods chief executive officer Michael Lashbrook said the group is in the process of concluding several key projects that were initiated in 2025, while simultaneously rolling out new investments in the current financial year, including the solar project.
“For 2026, we will be installing a 2MW solar system at our Stirling Road plant in Harare,” Lashbrook said. “Stirling Road is our second-largest plant in Harare and houses our Harare wheat mill, as well as our pasta and biscuit operations.”
He noted that the total investment for the solar installation and supporting works will be around US$1.9 million, with part of the expenditure directed towards essential upgrades to roofing and civil infrastructure to support the solar panels.
Beyond energy investments, the company is also finalising a number of operational projects that commenced last year. Lashbrook said these include the upgrade of the Aspindale Stockfeed plant, capacity expansions at the Snacks Unit, and the commissioning of a new rice packing plant at Aspindale, all aimed at enhancing throughput and efficiency across the group’s value chain.
Looking further ahead, National Foods is positioning itself for another major capacity boost, with plans to acquire a new flour mill currently at an advanced feasibility stage.
“The National Foods Board has approved the purchase of a new flour mill for our Harare Stirling Road site,” Lashbrook said. “This will be a significant investment and will see a material increase in our production capacity on the site. The final stages of the project feasibility are currently being worked on.”
The planned investment reflects the group’s ongoing drive to lift production volumes and efficiencies. According to Lashbrook, volumes have shown a steady upward trajectory over the past year, underpinned by sustained capital expenditure and product innovation.
In the prior year, the company undertook one of its largest investment programmes, commissioning new breakfast cereal, biscuit and pasta plants at a combined cost of about US$22.7 million. The investments were designed to boost local production capacity, reduce reliance on imports and strengthen value addition within Zimbabwe.
These facilities have also increased the consumption of locally produced maize and wheat, aligning National Foods’ operations with national development priorities while expanding market opportunities for local farmers.
“We are very pleased with the performance of our new investments,” Lashbrook said. “Again, due to being in a closed period we cannot provide specific information. However, in the biscuit category, Gloria Munchies have gained excellent acceptance in the market. The Zimbabwean pasta market as a whole continues to show strong growth, and consumers are buying increased volumes of our Primo and Better Buy pasta.”
The group continues to innovate within its breakfast cereal portfolio, guided by the mantra “Breakfast is for everyone”, as it seeks to make nutritious and affordable breakfast options accessible to a broad consumer base.
For the financial year ended June 2025, National Foods produced volumes totalling 688,000 tonnes. Lashbrook said a similar volume of raw materials was consumed to achieve this output, with maize, wheat, soya beans and rice accounting for the bulk of inputs.
Demonstrating its commitment to local agriculture, the company contracted a record 80,000 metric tonnes of locally produced wheat from the 2025 winter crop, which followed a record national harvest. The initiative supports Zimbabwean farmers while contributing to improved livelihoods, poverty reduction and broader economic empowerment.
Since 2022, National Foods has invested approximately US$30 million in new high-technology plants, replacing mills that were more than seven decades old and boosting total production capacity by over 2,000 tonnes across its Bulawayo and Harare operations.
The expanded capacity strengthens Zimbabwe’s ability to meet domestic flour demand, enhances national food security and reduces dependence on imports, saving valuable foreign currency in line with the Government’s self-sufficiency agenda.
