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Key Points
- The new facility can process 500 metric tons of soya beans daily, boosting local production and reducing reliance on cooking oil imports.
- The plant will offer a stable market for 150,000 metric tons of local soya annually, supporting jobs and Malawi’s agriculture sector.
- Bakhresa Group is scaling up its food and beverage operations, including a $500 million drinks factory upgrade in Tanzania by 2026.
Tanzanian billionaire Said Bakhresa, the founder of the Bakhresa Group, is making a major investment in Malawi. Through his company, Bakhresa Malawi Limited, he has launched a $100 million soya extraction and vegetable oil refinery in Blantyre, the country’s commercial hub. The move signals strong confidence in Malawi’s economy, which is gradually opening up to more local and foreign investment under President Lazarus Chakwera’s administration.
Commissioned on Wednesday, July 9, by President Chakwera himself, the new plant has the capacity to process 500 metric tons of soya beans per day—making it one of the largest facilities of its kind in Africa. To meet this scale, Malawi will need to produce at least 150,000 metric tons of soya annually. The facility’s success depends heavily on local farmers increasing their output, but it also offers them a guaranteed market and long-term opportunity.
Factory brings hope and jobs
The plant is expected to significantly reduce Malawi’s reliance on imported cooking oil, easing pressure on the country’s foreign exchange reserves. The refinery, equipped with modern processing technology, is part of an effort to strengthen local industries and promote self-reliance in essential goods. It also marks an expansion of Bakhresa’s business interests in the country, further establishing the company as a key player in Malawi’s agri-processing sector.
At the launch, President Chakwera welcomed the development, describing it as a practical step toward the goals outlined in Malawi’s Vision 2063 plan, which emphasizes industrial growth and job creation. “This factory will help us save millions of dollars that we currently spend on imports,” Chakwera said. “It will employ over 300 people and give hundreds of families a steady income—for food, rent, and school fees.”
He also highlighted the factory’s role in supporting local agriculture. “It will provide our farmers with a ready market for their crops. With up to 150,000 tons of soya needed each year, this factory becomes a reliable buyer of what they grow,” Chakwera said. The availability of a steady market is expected to encourage more farmers to grow soya and other oil seeds, while introducing new competition in the country’s cooking oil sector.
Bakhresa builds for future, eyes growth in food sector
Said Bakhresa, long recognized as one of East Africa’s most successful businessmen, had his fortune estimated at $600 million back in 2015. Today, many analysts believe his wealth far exceeds $1.5 billion—though the exact figure is difficult to pin down, as much of his empire is privately held and not fully valued on public records. His company, the Bakhresa Group, has built a wide footprint across East and Southern Africa, with operations spanning food and beverages, logistics, marine transport, hospitality, and media.
One of the group’s standout achievements is its flour and drinks production plant in Malawi, which has had a meaningful impact on the local economy. But Bakhresa isn’t stopping there. In Tanzania, through Bakhresa Food Products Limited, the group is investing $500 million to expand its drinks factory in Mwandege. The upgrade—expected to wrap up in 2026—will double the plant’s daily output from 150,000 to 300,000 cartons. It’s a major milestone timed to coincide with the company’s 50th anniversary.
As part of this broader effort, the group recently introduced a new juice brand for children called Tamtam, available in flavors like pineapple, orange, and mixed fruit—an answer to growing demand for locally made, kid-friendly drinks. More than just business expansion, these moves highlight Bakhresa’s commitment to building long-term value: supporting local farmers, generating employment, and making everyday products more accessible across the region.
