Savanna Beef secures export approval to UK, EU and EFTA markets
Savanna Beef secures export approval to key European markets, unlocking growth opportunities and marking a major milestone for Namibia’s beef industry and producer-driven processing model.
NAMIBIA – Namibia’s Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform has approved Savanna Beef Processors’ application to export beef to the United Kingdom, the European Union, and European Free Trade Association (EFTA) countries, marking a significant milestone for the company.
Savanna Beef board chairperson Mecki Schneider confirmed that the company has received the export certificate and will begin slaughtering cattle for export in the coming week.
“It will also be the first cattle slaughtered that were traded on the Namibia Securities Exchange under the newly implemented slaughter right trading system,” Schneider said in a note to members of the Beef Value Chain Forum and company shareholders.
The producer-driven beef processor has been operating at low capacity while awaiting export certification. With approval now secured, the company plans to slaughter approximately 50,000 head of cattle annually.
“The task team and board of Savanna Beef are delighted to inform you that we have just received the export certification – as a beef export abattoir with establishment approval number NA37 – to the UK, the EU and EFTA countries,” Schneider said.
“This has been a long process but is a big milestone and was one of the main focus points over the last three years,” he added.
The European Free Trade Association comprises Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland, expanding Savanna Beef’s access to key international markets.
According to the non-transferable certificate of approval, Savanna Beef is authorized to export matured deboned chilled or frozen beef cuts to Great Britain, including the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man, as well as the EU and EFTA regions.
The certificate was issued on April 7 and will remain valid until April 7, 2027, subject to annual renewal.
Savanna Beef has attracted around 730 shareholders who have collectively invested approximately N$400 million (US$24.42M) in the company. This includes N$290 million (US$17.7M) in private equity funding, recently strengthened by an additional N$40 million (US$2.44M) investment from BPF Windsor Holdings Ltd.
The company previously indicated plans to increase production to 100 large stock units per day, with a full capacity target of 250 units per day once all export certifications, including those for the European Union, are fully operational.
As of August 31, 2025, Savanna Beef employed 84 workers, with plans to expand its workforce to 220 as operations scale up.
For the six months ended August 31, 2025, the company reported an operating loss of N$9.75 million (US$595.24K), reflecting its pre-export operational phase.
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