AFRICA'S NO.1 FOOD, BEVERAGE & MILLING INDUSTRY MAGAZINE

Varun Beverages Zimbabwe rumps up production with launch of new US$12m production line

Oct 7, 2021Oct 7, 2021 Editor

ZIMBABWE – Varun Beverages Zimbabwe (Pvt) Limited, the franchise bottler of PepsiCo in Zimbabwe, has commissioned a new US$12m water bottling line, with a production capacity of 15 million bottles per month. The new 400 bottle per minute line is part of the third phase of the company’s expansion project, which will bring total production capacity to 66 million bottles of sparkling beverages, cans and bottled water per month, reports The Herald. Varun Beverages Zimbabwe officially commissioned its first plant in the Southern African country in February 2018 with an…

Varun Beverages Zimbabwe rumps up production launching new production line

Jan 11, 2021Jan 11, 2021 Editor

ZIMBABWE – Varun Beverages Zimbabwe Private Limited (VBZPL), soft drinks manufacturer has commissioned a new production line for its Aquaclear bottled mineral water brand. The new investment is aimed to enable the company ramp up production as it seeks to push more volumes in the market, recommending a retail price of $15 and $13.40 per 750ml and 500ml bottle respectively. “The launch of the product at affordable prices, with great quality, should allow more consumers to drink clean and pure bottled water,” said Varun Beverages Zimbabwe vice-president Fungai Murahwa. With…

Stiff economic environment stagnates Varun Beverages investments in Zimbabwe

Feb 10, 2020Feb 12, 2020 Editor

ZIMBABWE – Varun Beverages Zimbabwe (Pvt) Limited, the franchise bottler of PepsiCo in Zimbabwe is struggling to recoup its US$50 million investment in the country due to a turbulent economic environment characterised by an acute foreign currency shortage, Zimbabwe Independent reports. Varun Beverages made a foray into the Zimbabwean market in 2018, injecting US$50 million to set up a beverage manufacturing plant in the capital. Initially, the projected capital expenditure to install the plant was pegged at US$30 million, but soared to US$50 million as the country reeled under severe…

Varun Beverages Zimbabwe commission US$20m manufacturing plant

Dec 10, 2019Dec 10, 2019 Editor

ZIMBABWE – Varun Beverages Zimbabwe (Pvt) Limited, franchise bottler of PepsiCo in the country has officially commissioned the US$20 million second phase of its manufacturing plant in Harare. Varun Beverages produces brands that include Pepsi, Mirinda, Mountain Dew, Sting and Seven-Up, among others. The newly launched state-of-the-art plant features three additional production lines, an addition to the first PET (polyethylene terephthalate) line. “The additional line with 600 bottles per minute capacity, can line with the 400 cans per minute capacity and husky line to ensure backward integration to reduce foreign…

Varun Beverages to acquire controlling stake in bottle caps maker Lunarmech

Sep 10, 2019Sep 11, 2019 Editor

INDIA – Varun Beverages, the PepsiCo bottler in India has agreed to acquire an additional 20% stake in pet bottle caps and crown caps maker Lunarmech Technologies for ₹15 crore (US$2.1 million). The transaction will see Varun Beverages increase its stake in Lunarmech to 55%, Varun Beverages said in a stock-exchange filing. The deal is likely to be completed by September 15. Varun Beverages already owns a stake in Lunarmech through Angelica Technologies Pvt. Ltd. It holds a 47.30% stake in Angelica, which owns 74% of Lunarmech. Lunarmech was incorporated…

Zimbabwe’s Varun Beverages eyes agro-processing to bolster exports

Feb 22, 2019Dec 10, 2019 Editor

ZIMBABWE – Varun Beverages Zimbabwe (Pvt) Limited, franchise bottler of PepsiCo in the country, has unveiled plans of possibly diversifying its operations to include agro-processing lines as it seeks to improve the exports. Krishnan Shankar, Pepsi group chief executive officer said that the group is looking at establishing a potato and tomato processing plant in the country through an investment of US$30 million, reports The Herald. “We are now looking at opportunities of establishing a tomato processing plant, basically what the country needs are exports and so we are looking…

Zimbabwe’s Varun Beverages gets special economic zone status

Feb 19, 2019Feb 19, 2019 Editor

ZIMBABWE – VarunBeverages Zimbabwe (Pvt) Ltd, a soft drink manufacturer and Pepsi bottler in the country has been declared a special economic zone (SEZ) as an incentive from government in its plans of investing US$23 million in a new plant. The announcement was made by the Zimbabwe Special Economic Zones Authority chief executive officer Mr Edwin Kondo through an Extraordinary Government Gazette, reports The Herald. “It is hereby notified that, in terms of section 20 (1) of the Special Economic Zones Act (Chapter 14:34), the Zimbabwe Special Economic Zones Authority,…

Varun Beverages begins Pepsi production in Zimbabwe

Mar 22, 2018Mar 26, 2018 Editor

ZIMBABWE – Indian soft drinks manufacturer, Varun Beverages, has started manufacturing operations in the country, but says the cost of setting up its plant might spiral from the initial budget of $30 million to about $40 million due to foreign currency shortages. Most companies in Zimbabwe are struggling to procure to foreign currency to import equipment and critical raw materials. This has seen some firms increasing prices of the products due to cost from premiums on foreign currency bought on the parallel market. Companies that cannot secure foreign currency under…