President to open Mutare cooking oil plant:
PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa is today (Friday) expected to officially open cooking oil and soap production plant Willowton Zimbabwe situated in Mutare’s Nyakamete industrial area.
The company which opened shop in 2016 is the second project in the Manicaland together with Greenfuel in Chisumbanje to be accorded the National Project Status because of the immense contribution it would give in improving the country’s economy.
Willowton Zimbabwe Private Limited is a subsidiary of South Africa-based Willowton Group.
The group manufactures a wide range of products which include dibble oils, margarines and spreads, toiletries, laundry and bathing soaps, candles, chocolates, baking and industrial fats.
Willowton acquired former Karina Textiles premises to house its oil plant that is expected to produce close to half a million litres of edible oils per day.
Besides creating employment for hundreds of locals, the plant has also brought countless business opportunities to the city of Mutare since it
started operating in October.
The cooking oil plant breathed life into Mutare’s dying industry following the closure of many compa- nies due to harsh economic challenges.
Notable companies that closed shop include Mutare Board and Paper Mills and Karina Textiles while several fac- tories sized down operations resulting in massive job cuts that resulted in thousands of workers being thrown onto the streets.