Story by Stanely James, Business Editor
ZIMBABWE’s anti-smuggling blitz has eased beverage imports, with local manufacturers pinning hopes of increased capacity on the continuous rollout of the policy.
This development was highlighted during the presentation of Delta Corporation Limited’s financial results for the year ending March 2025. The company, Zimbabwe’s largest producer of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, credited the policy intervention for stabilising the domestic market and supporting growth.
Group Finance Director Mr Alex Makamure told ZBC News that the crackdown on smuggled goods became particularly effective during the final quarter of 2024, resulting in increased sales and renewed operational momentum.
“The effects of the anti-smuggling drive on our products or operations began to be realised later in the last quarter, the trend further provided that adjective for offering relief in as much as driving growth is concerned it is the reduction in imported products that has also provided that opportunity for us to maximise production and accelerate growth, the financials being released or presented today further provides the information relating to the overall drive for growth in the entire part of 2025,” he said.
Despite the reduction in imported beverages, the industry is also expecting stable economic policies to withstand competition from neighbouring or regional entities in terms of pricing models.
“There is still competition from other regional players but riding on the current strides I can safely reveal that we are moving forward with the thrust to promote our domestic brands given the magnitude of our commitment to continue increasing output and take advantage of the stable macro-economic environment that also enable us to further focus on increasing production while unlocking value for our respective shareholders,” he added.
The beverages industry has also not been spared from the effects of counterfeit imported products that resulted in reduced domestic market share, but the inception of the anti-smuggling drive has raised optimism on growth prospects.
Late last year, government introduced the anti-smuggling drive to protect domestic industry against the influx of counterfeit goods that threatened the viability of local industry while posing harm to consumers, healthwise.
