Namibia’s Savanna Beef announces plans to process 50,000 cattle annually

NAMIBIA – Savanna Beef Processors has begun trial operations at its new abattoir between Windhoek and Okahandja, with plans to process up to 50,000 head of cattle annually once the plant reaches full capacity.

Chief executive officer Ian Collard, who took up the role on 13 January, said the company intends to slaughter about 250 cattle per day from February next year.

The firm completed its first trial slaughter in August, processing more than 20 cattle to test machinery, software systems, and personnel readiness.

According to the company, the exercise was intended to ensure that equipment functioned as expected and to familiarise staff with slaughter line technology, data capture, and operating procedures.

Savanna Beef chairperson Mecki Schneider said the trial also included testing of cooling units, deboning hall equipment, and vacuum packing systems, which are key to ensuring consistent quality and efficiency.

During the process, a state-of-the-art automatic hide-puller, described as the first of its kind on the African continent, was used to remove hides from the animals.

After the initial cattle were slaughtered without major technical issues, management opted to process a further five animals, and later an additional 24, to identify areas for improvement.

Schneider noted that adjustments are now being made to improve the handling of deboning equipment, vacuum packaging, and product boxing, while workers will continue training on specialised meat cuts.

Export ambitions

Savanna Beef is working toward securing accreditation to export within the Southern African Development Community and will then begin the process of applying for approval to ship beef to the European Union.

The board has authorised the company to source cattle as needed until a formal slaughter allocation system comes into effect, which management expects to launch after February 2026 once EU certification is in place.

Alongside Europe, the company is also exploring export opportunities in Asia and considering building trade relationships with Australia and New Zealand, both well-established beef exporters.

Savanna Beef signed a sales and marketing agreement with the UK-based GPS Food Group last year, giving it access to additional markets once regulatory approval is granted.

The company said equipment suppliers, engineers, financiers, and its Irish training team monitored the trial slaughter with interest, as the facility is anticipated to become one of the country’s most technologically advanced abattoirs.

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