By Johnson Siamachira
Harare, (New Ziana) — A local agribusiness is turning vitamin A-rich orange sweet potatoes into a growing snack business, linking smallholder farmers to urban retailers while promoting value addition in agriculture.
Ronald Museka, owner of VegPack, showcased vitamin A orange sweet potato crisps at the just-ended 2026 Zimbabwe Agricultural Show in Harare, where the product illustrated the way biofortified crops can move beyond household consumption into commercial food markets.
The Zimbabwe Agricultural Show ran from August 24-29, and brought together more than 600 exhibitors under the theme “Powering Growth: Where Agriculture, Technology and Commerce Converge.” The annual event promoted agricultural innovation, market-oriented production and stronger links among farmers, businesses and investors.
The VegPack story comes as Zimbabwe seeks to expand agricultural value addition and tackle micronutrient deficiencies through greater production and consumption of nutrient-rich foods.
Development partner, HarvestPlus Solutions says about 20 per cent of children under 5 in Zimbabwe suffer from vitamin A deficiency, while micronutrient deficiencies impose significant health and economic costs.
Museka previously produced potatoes for large-scale crisp manufacturers but saw limited room to differentiate his business. He began exploring orange sweet potatoes after learning about their commercial potential through HarvestPlus social media.
In 2023, he joined HarvestPlus Solutions Zimbabwe’s Scaling Nutrition Resilience in Zimbabwe project, supported by the Happel Foundation. The initiative provided technical and business support covering crop production, vine sourcing, farmer linkages, processing, nutrition, packaging, branding and market access.
Museka said a taste test at home convinced him the product had commercial potential. He served his children conventional potato crisps and the new orange sweet potato crisps while watching soccer.
“By the end of the match, all the vitamin A orange sweet potato crisps were finished, and the ordinary ones were left,” he said.
Within a year, VegPack was producing about 40,000 100-gram packets a month and supplying major retailers as well as local tuckshops, according to the company.
The business now requires about 30 metric tons of orange sweet potato roots each month, creating a potential market for smallholder farmers linked to the project.
Orange-fleshed sweet potatoes contain beta-carotene, which the body converts to vitamin A. HarvestPlus Solutions says biofortified orange sweet potatoes can provide significant amounts of daily vitamin A when consumed regularly. Zimbabwe released vitamin A orange sweet potato varieties in 2015, and HarvestPlus Solutions continues to work with national research institutions to expand production and consumption.
Portia Munetsi, a consumer and parent, said the crisps appealed to children while offering a nutritious alternative.
HarvestPlus Solutions Zimbabwe country manager Sakile Kudita said commercial products such as VegPack’s crisps could help move biofortification from farms into mainstream food markets.
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