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HARARE – Zimbabwean beverages producer African Distillers Limited (Afdis) has reported a robust start to its 2026 financial year after first-quarter revenue climbed 47 percent to US$27.9 million, reflecting strong consumer demand, higher product availability and sustained growth across its wines, spirits and ready-to-drink (RTD) portfolio.

In a trading update for the three months ended June 30, 2026, the company said a relatively stable macroeconomic environment, characterised by exchange rate stability, moderating inflation and tight monetary policy, created favourable conditions for consumer spending and business operations.

The improved operating environment translated into a 43 percent increase in overall sales volumes compared with the corresponding period last year, with all major product categories recording growth as consumers increasingly shifted towards formal retail channels amid a decline in illicit and grey market activity.

RTD beverages emerged as the company’s strongest-performing segment during the quarter, with volumes rising 48 percent year-on-year, underscoring continued consumer preference for convenience-oriented alcoholic beverages.

The wine portfolio also delivered an impressive performance, with volumes surging 80 percent, supported by sustained demand for value-driven brands such as 4th Street, Montello and Green Valley. Meanwhile, spirits volumes expanded by 32 percent, driven largely by strong sales of brown spirits, particularly Star Brandy, alongside improved product availability across key stock-keeping units.

Afdis attributed the broad-based growth to stronger market execution, consistent product supply and tighter enforcement measures against counterfeit and illegally traded alcoholic beverages, which have increasingly redirected demand towards formal manufacturers.

“The company delivered a strong performance during the quarter, with overall volumes increasing by 43 percent compared to the corresponding period last year. Growth was recorded across all product categories, supported by stable exchange rates, buoyant consumer spending, improved product availability and effective marketplace execution. The reduction in grey market activity also supported demand across the formal trade,” Company Secretary Lydia Mutamuko said in the trading update.

Despite the strong revenue performance, Afdis said the business continued to face mounting production cost pressures arising from higher fuel prices, increased packaging material costs and the appreciation of regional currencies, particularly the South African rand, which raised the cost of imported raw materials. The company also cited the impact of changes to Value Added Tax introduced in January this year as an additional cost driver.

Nevertheless, management said profitability remained resilient as higher production volumes improved operating leverage, while disciplined pricing strategies, product mix optimisation and strict cost management helped offset inflationary pressures.

The latest trading performance suggests that Zimbabwe’s formal alcoholic beverages market continues to recover, supported by improving consumer confidence and regulatory measures aimed at curbing the informal trade that has historically eroded volumes for licensed producers.

Looking ahead, Afdis expects the favourable trading environment to persist, underpinned by macroeconomic stability, easing borrowing costs and resilient consumer demand. The company said it will continue monitoring input cost movements, regional currency fluctuations and changes in the tax environment while focusing on expanding market share and improving margins.

In a sign of confidence in future demand, Afdis also announced plans to strengthen its manufacturing capacity through capital investment. The company intends to acquire an additional packaging line valued at US$8 million, a move expected to increase production capacity, improve operational efficiency and support long-term growth.

The investment signals management’s expectation that demand for branded alcoholic beverages will remain firm, positioning the company to capitalise on expanding opportunities within Zimbabwe’s formal consumer goods market while reinforcing its competitive position in the wines and spirits industry.

The post Afdis Delivers Strong First-Quarter Growth as Consumer Demand Lifts Revenue 47% appeared first on The Zimbabwe Mail.

HARARE – Zimbabwe may need to embrace vertical urban development to safeguard land for future generations, with Parliament calling for urgent legislative reforms that would allow cities and towns to construct high-rise residential and commercial buildings.

Speaker of the National Assembly, Advocate Jacob Mudenda, according to State Media, has urged the Government to amend the Urban Councils Act, arguing that the country’s existing planning framework is no longer adequate to support rapid urbanisation, population growth and rising demand for housing.

Speaking on the sidelines of a two-day capacity-building workshop on National Budget Analysis, Adv Mudenda said current legislation, which effectively limits urban development to low-rise buildings, risks accelerating land consumption and undermining long-term urban sustainability.

He warned that continuing to expand cities horizontally would place increasing pressure on finite urban land, leaving future generations with limited space for housing development.

“The current Urban Councils Act allows for two-storey buildings only, which means that if we follow that Act to its letter and spirit, eventually, in the next 50 years, we may not have sufficient land to build houses,” Adv Mudenda said.

He called for amendments that would empower urban councils and expanding rural growth centres to approve multi-storey residential and commercial developments, including apartment blocks and skyscrapers, as part of a broader strategy to conserve land and improve urban planning.

According to Adv Mudenda, encouraging vertical construction would enable Zimbabwe to accommodate growing urban populations without continuously extending city boundaries onto agricultural and undeveloped land.

Zimbabwe’s major urban centres, particularly Harare and Bulawayo, continue to experience sustained demand for housing driven by population growth, rural-to-urban migration and a persistent housing backlog. Property analysts have increasingly argued that higher-density developments could provide a more sustainable solution than the continued proliferation of low-density suburban expansion, which requires significant investment in roads, water, sewerage and electricity infrastructure.

The proposal also aligns with global urban planning trends, where cities facing land shortages have increasingly adopted vertical mixed-use developments to improve land-use efficiency while reducing infrastructure costs per household.

Beyond housing, Adv Mudenda also advocated reforms in the construction sector, encouraging policymakers and local authorities to consider more cost-effective and durable alternatives to conventional road-building materials.

He noted that several countries have shifted from asphalt road surfaces to brick paving, arguing that brick roads can offer lower construction costs, improved durability and easier maintenance in certain environments.

“The other area is the construction industry. A number of countries, if not several countries, have moved away from the use of asphalt to construct roads. They use bricks. It’s cheaper, more durable,” he said.

Urban planning experts say any transition towards high-rise development would require complementary reforms in building regulations, zoning laws, municipal infrastructure planning and financing mechanisms. Increased residential density would also necessitate significant investment in water supply, sewer systems, electricity networks, public transport and emergency services to support taller buildings and growing urban populations.

If implemented, the proposed legislative reforms could reshape Zimbabwe’s property sector by encouraging apartment developments, mixed-use commercial projects and higher-density residential communities, while helping preserve scarce urban land and supporting more sustainable long-term city growth.

The post Parliament Calls for High-Rise Housing Reform to Address Zimbabwe’s Urban Land Constraint appeared first on The Zimbabwe Mail.

R&B superstar Usher experienced an unexpected moment during his co-headlining concert in Nashville after a female fan invited onstage appeared too overwhelmed to participate in one of his signature serenades.

According to AllHipHop.com, the brief encounter unfolded during Saturday’s performance when Usher welcomed the woman onto the stage as part of his interactive show. However, the fan reportedly froze as soon as the spotlight turned to her, prompting the singer to quickly recognize her discomfort.

“I don’t think she want to be on the stage,” Usher joked to the audience before politely escorting the woman back to her seat and continuing with the performance. The 38-second clip has since gone viral across social media platforms, generating widespread discussion and humorous memes.

The incident stood out because audience participation has become a defining feature of Usher’s live performances. His concerts are known for intimate serenades, prolonged eye contact and playful interactions with selected fans, moments that have regularly gone viral online.

Usher kicked a fan off the stage after she seemingly looked uncomfortable while he tried to serenade her during his show. pic.twitter.com/HNZ6VEcs1a

— No Jumper (@nojumper) July 26, 2026

According to AllHipHop.com, social media users offered differing interpretations of the Nashville moment. Some humorously suggested the woman may have been saving herself for co-headliner Chris Brown, while others praised Usher for immediately recognizing her unease and handling the situation respectfully instead of pressuring her to remain onstage.

The Nashville concert forms part of the ongoing Raymond & Brown Tour, a co-headlining stadium series whose name cleverly combines the artists’ surnames—Raymond and Brown—to create the acronym “R&B.” The tour has drawn large crowds throughout the summer, with both performers delivering extensive setlists and making fan interactions a signature element of the live experience.

Usher has previously described the serenade segment as a way of allowing an entire audience to share in the emotions of a single fan. In Nashville, however, that shared emotion was one of nervousness, with the unexpected moment becoming one of the tour’s latest viral highlights, according to AllHipHop.com.

The post Usher’s On-stage Serenade Takes Awkward Turn as Nashville Fan Freezes Under Spotlight appeared first on The Zimbabwe Mail.

American singer and actor Tyrese Gibson has weighed in on the ongoing debate surrounding South African Grammy-winning singer Tyla, defending her against criticism for identifying as Coloured.

The discussion resurfaced after Tyla appeared on Apple Music’s “The Ebro Show”, where she reflected on the backlash she faced from American audiences over her racial identity.

In the United States, the term “Coloured” is widely regarded as outdated and offensive, due to its historical association with racial segregation.

However, in South Africa, Coloured refers to a distinct ethnic and cultural community with its own history and identity, shaped by the country’s apartheid past.

Speaking candidly during the interview, Tyla said she initially struggled to understand why her self-identification sparked such a strong reaction abroad.

“Initially it was very difficult because prior to ‘The Breakfast Club’, I did answer that question and already I started getting backlash. And I was like, ‘Whoa’, I don’t know what else to say about it because I never had to explain myself,” she said.

“You know, I was just always myself and living. At the time, 22 years of my life, all I knew was that I’m Coloured and that’s what I was told.”

The “Water” hitmaker explained that travelling internationally helped her realise how differently racial terminology is understood across the world.

“When I was able to travel the world and learn more about the world, I then learned just how big the world is and how different each country is. How different the context is. So when I learned about what it means here, I was like, ‘Whoa’, this is going to be a difficult conversation to have.”

Tyla added that South Africa also has racially offensive terms, making it easier for her to understand why certain language could be triggering in other countries.

“I know that being Coloured is my culture. It exists in my context but I’m also Black,” she said.

Following the interview, Gibson took to social media to question what he described as the “selective outrage” directed at the South African star.

“I didn’t say anything but I was definitely shocked at the beatdown online and found myself feeling sad to see her career take a hit,” he wrote.

“Are we Coloured? Or are we n****s? Because we say it every day. Then we’re in our feelings when anybody else says it. Selective outrage?”

The actor also reflected on the historical use of racial slurs within the Black community, saying he believes derogatory language has become normalised.

“I have never heard a soldier from the Nation of Islam refer to their fellow Black man as a n****. They always say ‘my brother’ or ‘my sister’.”

“The white man has done a real one on us and now we refer to ourselves as the derogatory name that they created for us. I’m guilty of it myself… But the selective outrage is amazing.”

Drawing on his experiences in South Africa, Gibson urged critics to better understand the country’s history before judging Tyla’s identity.

“I’ve been to South Africa at least eight times. Do your research on apartheid. All of the trauma that apartheid inflicted and is still inflicting to this day on Africans.”

He concluded with a pointed message: “It’s been said, never ever listen to the opinion of people who have never had a passport.”

Source: IOL

The post Tyrese Gibson speaks out for Tyla in the ‘Coloured’ identity debate appeared first on The Zimbabwe Mail.

A Hidden Crisis: Zimbabwean Chickens Fed Life-Saving ARVs Amidst Health Fears and Funding Cuts Harare – A disturbing practice has emerged within Zimbabwe’s poultry industry, where some farmers are illegally incorporating antiretroviral drugs (ARVs) – vital medication for HIV patients – into chicken feed. This clandestine method, driven by a desire to boost growth and […]

The post Corrupt Health Workers and Evil Farmers EXPOSED: Chickens in Zimbabwe Now Being Fed With ARVs first appeared on My Zimbabwe News.