The Sunday News
Shepias Dube Business Reporter
LEADING brewer Delta Beverages has lined up a $300 000 project to construct a seven-kilometre sewer connecting Umguza sewers and Bulawayo’s Aisleby treatment works as part of ancillary work ahead of the commissioning of its $17 million Chibuku Super plant in Fairbridge in June.
Delta Beverages company secretary Mr Alex Makamure, in an e-mailed response to questions, said they were engaging the two local authorities over the project and were targeting to start once given the green light.
“The decision to construct the pipeline was reached after Delta Beverages realised that Umguza Rural District Council, like most rural local authorities, has a poor sewer reticulation system,” said Mr Makamure.
On the new opaque beer plant, Mr Makamure said the investment was expected to boost production levels for Chibuku Super to about 350 million litres per year.
“The Fairbridge Chibuku Super Plant is expected to be commissioned in June. It will have capacity to produce 150 million litres (1,5 million hectolitres) of the beverage per year. This will bring our national capacity to 350 million litres (3,5 million hectolitres). We believe this will cover requirements until 2017 when we will add capacity in Masvingo,” said Mr Makamure.
The plant would mostly supply the southern region including parts of Midlands and Masvingo provinces, complementing the supplies from Chitungwiza Brewery.
He said the decision to construct a new plant was reached after Delta Beverages recorded higher sales for the super Chibuku brand not only in the southern region but nationally.
“Chibuku Super is a significant innovation and enhancement of the traditional opaque beer offerings. It addresses some of the shortcomings of the legacy products by way of improved shelf life, package efficacy and quality consistency.
“It is, therefore, natural that such a new product will recruit consumers not only from drinkers of the company’s Standard Chibuku or competitor brands but has gained acceptance from consumers of clear beer and spirits.
He said Chibuku Super had ridden on the existing properties of the Standard Chibuku Brandy and this has made it a household name.
“This is a normal occurrence in the product life cycle, which is similar to our experience with the introduction of the two-litre plastic container in 1992. The Scud pack replaced the draught beer and redefined the traditional beer market. Chibuku Super will drive the opaque beer category to new heights,” he said.
Mr Makamure revealed that Delta Beverage was contemplating using the new technology employed in Chibuku Super to re-launch a reformulated Thabani Brand.
The Fairbridge project, which is being done at a cost of at least $17 million, involves an investment in a modern factory, the improvements in services relating to effluent processing and focuses on post-consumer waste management.
A prominent economist Mr Davison Gomo applauded the opening of the new Chibuku Super in the Southern Region.
“This is good for the people of Bulawayo because some jobs will certainly be created. It’s also an investment which is set to financially benefit Delta Beverages since most consumers spend their income on food and drink,” he said.
