Ivayinerudo Magarazano
Chiredzi- Hippo Valley Estates a subsidiary of Tongaat Hulett Zimbabwe (THZ), recently celebrated 70 years of existence in grand style at Chishamiso Stadium, where employees and stakeholders gathered for a day of sporting activities and entertainment.
The icing on the cake for the long day was the four-hour captivating peformance by Sungura music maestro Alick Chesology Macheso.
The celebrations marked seven decades of growth and excellence for Zimbabwe’s oldest sugar producer with hundreds of employees, farmers and community members taking part in the commemorative event.
The day featured a variety of sporting activities, including a marathon, football, netball, tug-of-war, and other competitions with participants receiving prizes for their outstanding performances.
Speaking during the celebrations, Hippo Valley Estates Chief Executive Officer Tendai Masawi paid tribute to the company’s employees, their families, and outgrower farmers whose contributions have been instrumental to the company’s continued success and growth.
“I was informed that Hippo Valley was established on March 15, 1956, beginning as a citrus plantation before transitioning into sugarcane production. During its early years the estate produced about 30,000 tonnes of sugar. Today, we are producing well over 200,000 tonnes of sugar annually. We are deeply grateful to our employees and their families, who provide the support system behind our success. We also extend our appreciation to our farmers, who contribute between 45 and 50 percent of the sugar we produce,” said Masawi.
Hippo Valley Estates remains a key driver of socio-economic development in Chiredzi District and the nation at large as it employs over 5 000 workers, making it arguably the biggest private sector employer in the country.
Thousands of people downstream benefit from the business generated by Hippo Valley, like retail stores, cattle farmers, alcohol manufacturers etc.
Through its support for local entrepreneurs, corporate social responsibility initiatives and infrastructure development projects the company has significantly contributed to the growth of the region. Its investments include modern healthcare facilities, sporting infrastructure, and educational institutions, among other community development projects.
Hippo Valley Estates Chairman, Advocate Canaan F. Dube, said the anniversary was an opportunity to celebrate a vision that was planted seven decades ago and has continued to flourish over the years.
“Seventy years ago a vision was planted in the Lowveld soil. Today we celebrate the harvest of that vision and honour the generations whose dedication has shaped Hippo Valley Estates into the institution it is today.
“As we commemorate this milestone we celebrate not only our achievements but also the enduring values that have sustained us, hard work, resilience, innovation, strong partnerships, and the ethical leadership that continues to steer Hippo Valley Estates to even greater heights,” said Dube.
The 70th anniversary celebrations served as an honor to Hippo Valley Estates’ remarkable journey from a modest agricultural venture to one of Zimbabwe’s leading agro-industrial companies, while reaffirming its commitment to sustainable growth and community development.
