Gushungo Dairy to start ice cream and chocolate production

Grace Mugabe's Alpha Omega Dairy is expecting to increase its milk production 22 000 to 40 000 litres per day by year-end through rebreeding and exporting of high breed heifers and expects to start ice cream and chocolate production by end of this month after completing installation of the plant, a company official has said.

Speaking on the sidelines of a tour of the dairy by the Minister of Industry and Commerce Mike Bimha Alpha Omega Dairy group general manager Stanley Nhari said the firm will increase its milk production since we are buying some of our animals from outside the country.

"We are targeting that by the end of 2015 we will be producing 40 000 litres of milk to above but currently we are producing 22 thousand but we are going to increase since we are doing in breeding and importing from different countries," he said.

Alpha Omega Dairy currently is producing 22 000 litres of milk per day from 2 000 cows which are producing 30 to 45 litres a day. "Currently the company is operating at 20 percent capacity and to further develop the company we are venturing in the manufacturing of ice creams and chocolates.

"To show that we are determined, we are growing both the source of raw milk and also our factory," he said.

He also said the new ice cream manufacturing machine has been submitted to the factory and is let with the installation to start operating.

"The machine will be fully functional by the end this March and we are expecting the experts which are going to do the installations by the mid of this month," he said.

Currently the company is manufacturing a number of dairy products which include powdered milk, dairy juices and other products.

He also said the company is also in the seed production with the Seed Company of Zimbabwe as their major market; and beef production which he said they are in the process of expanding the sector to enhance production by the end of the year.