National Foods to commission US$6 million pasta manufacturing plant

National Foods Holdings Limited is set to commission a US$6 million pasta manufacturing plant in the capital with construction in its final stages, a senior company official has said.

Pasta is a type of food typically made from an unleavened dough of wheat flour mixed with water or eggs, and formed into sheets or other shapes, then cooked by boiling or baking.

Rice flour, or legumes such as beans or lentils, are sometimes used in place of wheat flour to yield a different taste and fixture, or as a gluten-free alternative.

Pasta is a staple food of Italian cuisine.

National Foods chief executive officer Michael Lashbrooke said the plant, the first of its kind in the country, is part of efforts by the food processing company at value addition in view of the increased production of wheat in the country.

“Our rationale for the investment is that pasta is largely made from flour and water so given the increasing local wheat production we are looking to value add locally grown wheat and create a larger wheat market for our farmers,” said Lashbrooke.

He said the investment in the pasta plant will create a larger wheat market for local producers since the agricultural sector recorded a historic winter wheat harvest last November.

The company will procure all the wheat requirements for the pasta plant locally in the process, solving the government’s market problem while increasing production in the food industry with a view to start exports into the region, he said.

All of the pasta consumed in Zimbabwe is imported and the move by National Foods will allow the consumption of locally manufactured pasta.

Meanwhile, Lashbrooke said National Foods also plans to open a biscuit manufacturing plant in Aspindale built at a total cost of US$7.1 million.

National Foods was established in 1920 and produces basic foods that include maize meal, flour, rice, salt, snacks, biscuits, sugar beans, baked beans and animal feed using locally sourced raw materials.

New Ziana