A new traditional beer brewing company, Buffalo Brewing Company is set to engage 3 000 sorghum farmers in Zimbabwe to grow the crop for brewing on 750ha of land.
Buffalo Brewing Company is a subsidiary of Innscor Africa Holdings, a Zimbabwe Stock Exchange listed group.
The brewing company’s managing director; Richard Mann confirmed that 3 000 sorghum farmers were set to benefit from the project as the new-kid-on-the-block braces for competition with traditional brewers such as Delta Beverages.
“We will get half of our requirements from 750ha under contract farming at market with the rest being sourced from the free market at harvest time,” he said.
“We have contracted just a few farmers, but the target is to increase our contracted crop and build the supply from the small-scale market in the coming season. The support package will include seed accompanied by the much-needed agronomic backing.
Sorghum is an ancient grain and pro-planet protein source that’s packed full of nutrients, and it can be grown as a grain, forage or sweet crop. Sorghum is one of the top five cereal crops in the world.
Innscor Africa invested close to US$70 million into a beer manufacturing plant under its Buffalo Brewing Company with more funds expected to be injected into the alcohol unit in the near future.
The group is Zimbabwe’s largest food processor, with profitable interests in maize-meal, fast-foods and beverages.
