PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa yesterday commissioned two new manufacturing lines at Varun Beverages (Zimbabwe) (Pvt) Ltd which will see an increase in the number of Aquaclear bottled water and sparkling soft beverages production at the company.
The new production lines unveiled under phase 6 will see the production of 400 bottles per minute of Aquaclear bottled water and of 340 bottles of soft beverages per minute.
Mnangagwa also laid the foundation stone for a world-class snacks production facility for manufacturing of PepsiCo’s snacks food brands including Lays, Doritos and Simba Chips which is set to be completed in June next year.
In his address, Mnangagwa hailed the company saying that the new lines will make a notable economic impact in our nation.
“I applaud the critical role that the private sector is playing in growing the industrial sector and fostering real structural transformation towards an investment-driven economy.
“This is quite commendable and indeed a clear testimony of the resilience we have shown over these years,” he said.
Varun Beverages Limited chairperson Ravi Jaipuria said Zimbabweans had accepted Varun Beverages products since the company began operations in the country in 2018.
- Varun opens new manufacturing lines
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“The consumers of Zimbabwe accepted Pepsi products and have not only welcomed it but they love it. The 7th phase of investment is in laying the foundation stone of the PepsiCo International Snacks Manufacturing Facility.
“Varun Relative Foods Zimbabwe Limited has been given the snacks franchise to make, sell and deliver PepsiCo brand snacks,” he said.
Chief executive Vijay Bahl said the next phase of the expansion programme would enable the company to export to neighbouring countries.
“We got the franchise for Zimbabwe and beyond. So today we have laid the foundation stone for the snacks project and very soon we will start making, selling and distributing snacks. The beauty of the snacks is that we are going to export snacks to around seven to eight countries around us.”
