The ManicaPost
Tendai Gukutikwa
Post Reporter
A LOCAL agro-food processor and culinary arts cook, Chef Zororo Taruvinga of Zoro Nemugoti dominated the recently held annual Maputo International Trade Fair awards in Mozambique after scooping two top gongs.
Zoro Nemugoti, an enterprise which is barely two years old, scooped an honorary diploma for having the best exhibiting stand.
This was a great achievement as she came out tops ahead of more than 2 000 exhibitors from across the world.
The Small to Medium Enterprise (SME) also received another award after Chef Taruvinga was crowned the third best international exhibitor at the trade fair.
The small business produces wheat nachos, yam crisps, mixed veggie crisps, roasted nuts, hot sauces and sun dried tomatoes.
Zoro Nemugoti and 14 other exhibitors from across the country participated at the international trade fair through the support of the Ministry of Women Affairs, Community and Small and Medium Enterprise Development and the country’s trade promotion organisation, ZimTrade.
In an interview with Post Business, Chef Taruvinga said the award will go a long way in motivating the girlchild.
“This is the biggest award I have received through Zoro Nemugoti, which is barely two years old. We had at least 155 countries exhibiting, so this was a huge success for me.
“To the girlchild, these awards mean everything. It gives so much hope for the future. I still cannot believe that I came out tops at this internationally acclaimed event,” she said.
Chef Taruvinga said the trade fair opened huge opportunities for her business.
She said she struck deals with potential buyers from across the world, including airlines and pharmacies, adding that she is ready to conquer the international market.
“My products received good reviews from potential buyers and distributors and with the contacts that I got from Belgium, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Mozambique and many other countries, we are moving in the right direction,” she said.
Zoro Nemugoti is headquartered in Makoni District where most of the business’ agro products are processed.
Chef Taruvinga said her aim is to contribute towards the country’s economic turn-around, hence the production of her own crops in Rusape.
“Rusape has a lot of fertile land and it is closer to the raw materials that I use in my business. In future, we will be setting up a much bigger plant than the one we are currently using in the town,” she said.
Manicaland’s Provincial Development Officer in the Ministry of Women Affairs, Community and Small and Medium Enterprises Development, Mr Gabriel Jaji who chaperoned the SMEs to Maputo, said the accolades show that Manicaland SMEs have the potential to contribute in the nation’s economic development programmes.
“When you are crowned the best exhibitor on such a forum while competing with European, Asia, other African and American markets, it shows that Zimbabwe is a great country and can shine at international events.
“Zororo Nemugoti managed to secure big clients from big international businesses, which shows that our Zimbabwean products are in great demand regionally and internationally. All the SMEs that we took to Maputo received great reviews and opened new markets for their products. This trade fair reaveled the potential of our SMEs. Hopefully next year more SMEs will participate,” he said.
The Maputo International Trade Fair was running under the theme ‘Industrialisation, Innovation and Diversification of the National Economy’.
It seek to promote business and investment opportunities for entrepreneurs.
At the trade fair, participants connect directly with international entrepreneurs and investors.
The three local SMEs that participated at the trade fair are Zoro Nemugoti; Jopa Investments, led by Mrs Violet Banda and Tshisam (Pvt) Limited, led by Mrs Tshiyiwe Sibhula.
