Published: 02 July 2025

Nestlé Zimbabwe has significantly increased the local production of its popular flagship breakfast cereal, CEREVITA, in response to a sharp rise in consumer demand across the country and the wider southern African region.

The production scale-up follows the company's recent injection of US$7 million into its Zimbabwean operations, part of a strategic expansion that includes the installation of a fourth roller dryer at its manufacturing plant in Harare.

Speaking on the development, Nicole Roos, Managing Director and Chairperson of Nestlé East and Southern Africa Region, said the investment was not only about enhancing production capacity but also about deepening the company's commitment to local empowerment and nutrition.

"This investment is not just about production infrastructure - it's about long-term nourishment, empowerment and pride in a product that reflects our local taste, our local grain, and our local spirit," Roos said.

With the commissioning of Roller Dryer 4, Nestlé Zimbabwe has boosted its cereal production capacity by over 35%, significantly improving the availability of CEREVITA while maintaining the highest standards of safety, quality, and consistency for which the brand is known.

The expansion aligns with Nestlé's broader Virtuous Circle model, which promotes sustainable agriculture, inclusive economic growth, and local value chains. Nestlé Zimbabwe currently works with more than 350 local suppliers and 18 smallholder farmers, reinforcing its commitment to homegrown ingredients and skills development.

The company's workforce comprises 149 full-time employees, 268 casual workers, and eight graduate trainees, who benefit from ongoing training and professional development.

CEREVITA's growing popularity has also seen the product penetrate regional markets, with exports to Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique steadily increasing. Nestlé Zimbabwe is now positioning itself as a regional hub for breakfast cereal production, further cementing its role in driving both local and cross-border food security.

The move has been widely welcomed by industry players and consumers alike, as a sign of confidence in Zimbabwe's manufacturing capacity and the growing appetite for locally made food products.
- NewZimbabwe

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