Orangeville Trading invests US$25M in juicing plant in Zimbabwe
Orangeville expects employment to reach 1,500 within five years as a planned 5,000-hectare citrus estate strengthens the company’s raw material supply base.
ZIMBABWE – Orangeville Trading has invested US$25 million in a juicing plant in Beitbridge, Zimbabwe, as it targets regional export markets and supplies Schweppes Zimbabwe with locally processed citrus products.
The plant was established in 2024 following an initial US$20 million investment, with a further US$5 million added to the project. Orangeville is now considering increasing total investment to as much as US$40 million as it expands production capacity.
The company has been certified to supply Schweppes Zimbabwe, which it described as a milestone for local value addition by processing raw citrus into finished products instead of exporting fruit without processing.
In addition to juice, the Beitbridge facility extracts orange essential oil for the cosmetics industry and converts citrus residue into livestock feed pellets, creating additional revenue streams from citrus processing.
Orangeville currently employs about 350 people, with seasonal workers accounting for approximately 60 percent of its workforce. The company expects employment to rise to at least 1,500 within five years as a planned 5,000-hectare citrus estate near Beitbridge comes into production.
The estate is expected to strengthen the plant’s access to raw materials as Orangeville expands its contract farming programme. The company said inconsistent supplies from surrounding growers, who can sell to higher-paying buyers, and high transport costs remain major constraints on production.
“By bringing more fruit production in-house, alongside an expanding contract farming programme, we aim to smooth out those disruptions and give the plant more predictable volumes to work with as it builds export relationships,” the company said.
Water security is also part of the plant’s supply strategy, with about 40 percent of its water supply drawn from Zhove Dam. The arrangement is intended to support operations during dry conditions.
Matabeleland South Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution Albert Nguluvhe toured the facility last week and said: “Government’s role is to help the province produce enough for domestic demand and export.”
Nguluvhe also said dry conditions forecast for the season required investments that could support livestock farmers and broader food systems, while encouraging Orangeville to diversify into fodder production during dry spells.
The project forms part of efforts to increase Matabeleland South’s contribution to Zimbabwe’s economy through agro-processing and strengthen the province’s capacity to meet domestic and export demand.
Orangeville has not disclosed production or export volumes. The company said figures for the current harvest will be released after harvesting is completed. The company’s expansion plans are expected to increase processing capacity, create more jobs and strengthen its supply base as the citrus estate develops over time.
Sign up HERE to receive our email newsletters with the latest news and insights from Africa and around the world, and follow us on our WhatsApp channel for updates.
