Zimbabwean manufacturing sector veteran player, Olivine Industries, has announced an investment of US$14 million to upgrade its margarine-making plant, a move that dramatically boosts its production capacity and signals a commitment to local and international market expansion.
The investment has upgraded the plant to produce 6 metric tonnes of margarine per hour, a nearly seven-fold increase from its previous capacity of 0.9 MT per hour. The upgraded facility features state-of-the-art components including a mixer, chiller, saturated heater, wrapper, and packager.
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The Ministry of Industry and Commerce, following a company visit, confirmed the positive outlook, stating: "A Company visit to Olivine Industries has revealed potential to expand & produce more products for the local & International markets. With Government interventions, Olivine is set to bring back some of its popular brands." Government’s interventions, coupled with the success of programs like the Zimbabwe Industry and Retail Growth Programme, are setting the stage for the return of several of Olivine’s beloved products. The company is set to reintroduce popular brands that many Zimbabweans grew up consuming, including Romance soap, Perfection soap, Big Ben, Cartwrights Usavi Mix, Jade soap, Buttercup margarine, Olivine super refined oil, Baked Beans, and Pure Drop oil.
Local manufacturers, including Olivine, are reporting a serious uptake of their products on the market, attributing the positive trend to effective government measures to curb smuggling and stop the proliferation of counterfeit goods. In response, Olivine has pledged to partner in the ongoing anti-smuggling crusade.
Currently, Olivine employs over 500 people and is operating at a production capacity of over 50%, boasting enough stock to meet market demand. Furthermore, demonstrating diversification beyond fast-moving consumer goods, Olivine also formed a subsidiary under its parent company, Surface Wilmar (Pvt) Ltd, named Surface Agri, which is focused on manufacturing fertilizers and agro-chemicals for the agricultural sector.
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