FOOD manufacturer Montgomery Processors has unveiled an ambitious plan to reduce its reliance on imported raw materials, targeting to source 75% of its key ingredient for baked beans locally by 2027, a move it says will empower Zimbabwean farmers and support the government’s import substitution and agricultural capacitation goals.
The announcement was made at the Global Expo Botswana, where Montgomery is among more than 20 Zimbabwean firms exhibiting under the Zimbabwe Pavilion, showcasing the country’s growing manufacturing capabilities and regional export ambitions.
In an interview on the sidelines of the expo, Montgomery Processors marketing manager Alban Manjengwa said the company’s strategy includes a guaranteed price of US$1 200 per tonne for Michigan pea beans, payable within 21 days of delivery.
He said the guaranteed pricing model directly addresses one of the biggest challenges facing local farmers, the absence of a reliable and consistent market.
“I know part of the biggest gripe that farmers have locally is that while we have the capacity to produce high value, high quality products, it's a struggle for a lot of farmers to fend for their families because they don't have a guarantee of a market,” Manjengwa said.
“It helps them drastically, even within their planning, even in sourcing of funding, because banks also would want that guarantee.”
The company’s local sourcing drive comes as it embarks on a regional expansion strategy.
Having grown domestic consumption of its baked beans from 300 tonnes to over 1 000 tonnes per month, Montgomery is now eyeing the Zambian and Botswana markets.
This twin strategy of strengthening domestic supply chains while expanding into regional markets mirrors a broader shift among Zimbabwean manufacturers seeking growth through the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) framework.
Nozipho Maphala, a ZimTrade client advisor, said the expo provides a vital platform for companies ready to scale up beyond Zimbabwe’s borders.
“There are some companies that have not begun exporting and they are looking to export first to Botswana because of the proximity of the market,” she said.
“We are now at a point where we are saying they are ready to export.”
Maphala added that the participation of firms from Malawi, Mozambique and South Africa demonstrates growing regional integration and opportunities for intra-African trade.
“This is what we are looking at, transacting business with our neighbours and growing demand for each other's products,” she said.
For Montgomery Processors, this regional vision is already being translated into product innovation. Beyond baked beans, the company is broadening its product portfolio to include tomato puree, pre-cooked sugar beans and sweet corn, targeting the practical and nutritional needs of African households.
