Last week Zambeef reported that it expects to report a trading loss for the first half of its financial year, but that its retailing and cold chain division will grow revenue (on similar volumes). The sentiments echo CEO Francis Grogan’s sentiments that “Zambeef’s a retail chain with processing plants and farms attached it.”

In the past full financial year, Zambeef’s adjusted pre-tax profit rose to US$5.2m, up from just $109,000 in the year prior. Full-year revenue rose by 9.6% to $280.3m up from $255.8m. Zambeef is increasingly focusing on its retail activities as a means of driving revenue: its Zambia Retailing Macro stores revenue rose 56.9% (in $) over the year prior. In Zambia alone Zambeef has 174 outlets, of which 67 are its own retail outlets, 29 are its newer macro stores, 34 are Shoprite butcheries and 1 bakery. The remaining 43 stores sell shoes (Zamshu) or animal feed (Novatek).

This week, Zambeef opened its Kitwe processing plant to decentralise operations from its Chisamba headquarters. The move aims to improve economies of scale and efficiencies for Zambeef’s northern Zambia operations. The new plant is designed to service growing Zambeef retail activity in Zambia’s north, which has included several more retail outlets.