$110 million beverage factory to create 2,000 jobs – Trade Kings
President Hakainde Hichilema has commissioned a new US$110 million beverage manufacturing plant built by Trade Kings Group, praising the investment as a vote of confidence in Zambia’s economic environment and a sign that private-sector growth is gathering momentum under his administration.
The growth of companies like Trade Kings Zambia highlights the potential for economic expansion in the region.
The state-of-the-art facility, located in Lusaka’s Multi-Facility Economic Zone, is expected to create over 2,000 direct and indirect jobs and increase the country’s export capacity for non-alcoholic beverages across the region.
President Hichilema said the investment demonstrates that local and international investors now have renewed faith in Zambia’s stability and business climate. “This project shows that when we fix the fundamentals of the economy, the private sector responds with confidence,” he said during the commissioning ceremony.
He emphasised that the government’s focus on predictable policies, sound macroeconomic management, and anti-corruption reforms had restored credibility among business operators. “We have shown consistency in managing public resources, and this is the outcome companies are expanding, jobs are being created, and our economy is growing,” he said.
Trade Kings Group Chairperson Afzal Motiwala said the new beverage plant was built with cutting-edge technology and designed to meet both local and international production standards. He said the project was part of the company’s long-term strategy to increase Zambia’s manufacturing capacity and reduce reliance on imported beverages.
“This investment is a reaffirmation of our belief in Zambia’s potential and our confidence in its leadership,” Motiwala said. “The facility will serve both domestic consumers and regional export markets, boosting Zambia’s competitiveness in the SADC region.”
He added that the plant would initially focus on producing carbonated drinks, bottled water, and energy beverages before diversifying into fruit juices and health-based drinks. “We are here to manufacture locally, employ Zambians, and export Zambian-made products to the world,” he said.
President Hichilema urged other local and foreign investors to emulate Trade Kings’ example, saying Zambia’s restructured debt framework and stable exchange rate had opened the door for long-term investment. “This is the time to invest in Zambia. The private sector is the engine of growth, and our role as government is to create an enabling environment,” he said.
He highlighted that the manufacturing sector remains central to the country’s economic transformation agenda, which targets job creation and value addition. “Industrialisation is not a slogan it is our roadmap to shared prosperity,” the President said.
The President also commended Trade Kings for its continued corporate social responsibility initiatives, particularly in education and health. He said partnerships between government and the private sector are essential in building sustainable communities.
The ceremony was attended by senior government officials, members of the business community, and representatives of the Zambia Development Agency, who described the investment as one of the largest industrial projects completed in the past five years.
Trade Kings began operations in 1995 and has since grown into one of Zambia’s largest conglomerates, employing thousands in food, beverage, and personal-care manufacturing.
Hichilema reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to supporting industries that expand production and create jobs. “Our message is simple, Zambia is open for business, and this investment is proof that confidence has returned,” he said.
