BY PHESHEYA KUNENE
MBABANE – An engineer has established a peanut butter and peanut oil processing plant at Sidvwashini Industrial Sites, Mbabane, positioning Droxford Foods to reduce Eswatini’s reliance on imported spreads while creating a local market for groundnut farmers.
Doctor Hlongwane, an engineer by profession and processor by purpose, has turned Droxford Foods into a growing player in the country’s agro-processing sector. What began with a household blender has developed into a laboratory-tested operation supplying major wholesalers such as Ruchi, Top Ten and Cash and Carry, placing locally produced peanut butter on shelves traditionally dominated by imports.
“I asked myself what will sustain me after retirement and what will benefit the country at the same time. Processing peanuts answered both,” he said.
IMPORT GAP CREATES MARKET
Eswatini continues to spend significant foreign currency on imported processed foods, including peanut butter and cooking oils, despite suitable conditions for local groundnut production. The dominance of imported brands has historically limited opportunities for domestic processors and smallholder farmers.
Doctor Hlongwane views that imbalance as a commercial opportunity.
“Every locally produced jar replaces an imported one. That keeps money in the economy and creates a value chain for farmers,” he said.
ENGINEERING APPROACH TO FOOD
Applying engineering precision, he subjected his products to local laboratory testing before sending samples to Cape Town for further quality validation to ensure compliance with international food safety standards.
“As engineers we work with systems and standards. I applied the same discipline to food processing,” he said.
Droxford Foods now produces multiple packaging sizes for households, resellers and institutions, while its pure peanut oil targets cooking and catering markets.
MARKET ACCESS STRATEGY
He identified distribution as a major challenge for emerging processors and opted to partner with wholesalers to achieve national reach while promoting the brand at agricultural fairs and farmers’ markets.
“Production alone is not enough. Market access and partnerships determine survival,” he said.
VALUE ADDITION FOR FARMERS
The company sources peanuts locally, supporting smallholder producers and strengthening the agricultural value chain. Peanut butter remains one of the most affordable protein sources for households and school feeding programmes, offering high energy, healthy fats and vitamin E.
Regional agricultural development studies indicate that value addition to groundnuts increases farmer incomes and reduces dependence on imported processed foods across Southern Africa.
EXPORT POTENTIAL
With quality standards already achieved, Droxford Foods is preparing for regional market entry within SADC, targeting demand for natural, additive-free spreads.
“Our goal is to see a proudly Eswatini product competing beyond our borders,” he said.
RETIREMENT PLAN WITH ECONOMIC IMPACT
Operating from the Sidvwashini industrial site, the enterprise forms part of the founder’s post-retirement strategy while contributing to agro-industrial development.
“This is not only about my future. It is about building local industry and supporting farmers,” he said.
Droxford Foods demonstrates how technical expertise can be redirected into agro-processing to reduce imports, create jobs and expand domestic food manufacturing capacity.
