Malawi’s President, Dr. Lazarus Chakwera, emphasized the importance of enhancing value addition to the nation’s raw materials to heighten their appeal in both local and international markets.
During his visit to Kwithu Kitchen, a female-led food processing cooperative in Mzuzu, he underscored the importance of collaborative efforts across different sectors to ramp up production of manufactured goods, aiming to reduce dependency on imports and preserve foreign currency reserves.
“I am very impressed by Kwithu Kitchen’s huge investment in processing plants to add value to agricultural produce, including tomatoes and honey. This is the way to go in order to ensure that the country’s economy grows sustainably,” Chakwera said.
He said value addition is in line with the country’s development blue print, MW 2063, which is premised on innovation in the exploitation of local resources to create national wealth that is inclusive.
Kwithu Kitchen co-founder Dr. Ann Msowoya Keys said the organisation, which started in 2013, grew out of Kwithu Women’s Group that was formed as a community based organisation (CBO) to feed vulnerable children.
Msowoya said with help from Maloto, a US based non-profit organisation, the CBO saw a business opportunity in processing tomatoes on a much larger scale, and they registered instant success on the market.
She said they started taking orders from big supermarkets and hotels for supply of their processed tomato products.
“Kwithu Kitchen expanded its product line in April 2020 and began processing high quality Malawian honey. Kwithu Kitchen immediately became the largest honey supplier in the country.
“Our products are found in major supermarkets in the country including Shoprite, Sana and Chipiku Plus, as well as in major hotel chains like the Sunbird Hotels and in many restaurants and institutions,” she said.
