Milk processor Dairibord Holdings is strengthening its investment in energy security and local supply chains as the food processor moves to reduce the impact of power disruptions on production.
The group said utility instability remained one of its major operational challenges during 2025, forcing greater reliance on backup generation to maintain plant operations and cold-chain systems.
As part of its response, Dairibord committed US$2.7 million to the development of the 1.2MW Greenagric Solar Park at its Chipinge operations.
“The Chipinge solar project was prioritised as a core operational safeguard rather than a discretionary environmental initiative,” the company said in its annual report.
Dairibord said the investment was intended to improve production reliability and reduce exposure to electricity shortages.
“This project is a resilience investment first. It is intended to stabilise processing, support Steri milk production and reduce exposure to grid failures over time,” the group said.
The company said diesel consumption had risen to 2.66 million litres as it sought to protect manufacturing operations from power outages.
Alongside energy investments, Dairibord continued to strengthen its milk supply base through support programmes for small-scale farmers.
The group said more than 530 small-scale dairy farmers, 40 percent of them women, remained part of its supply network. Local suppliers accounted for 61 percent of procurement spending during the year.
Through its Milk Supply Development Unit, Dairibord provides training, veterinary services, nutrition support and financing partnerships.
“Dairibord’s value chain is both commercial and developmental,” the company said. “Through our Milk Supply Development Unit, the Group supports national raw milk production growth, promotes inclusion of small-scale farmers in the formal economy, and helps strengthen the upstream base on which our own processing and brand performance depend.”
The group processed about 42.5 million litres of raw milk during 2025 and said future investments would continue to focus on manufacturing reliability, supply continuity and operational resilience.