The Betterbrands Gold Refinery in Bulawayo is poised for its official opening, with all systems ready for the facility’s inauguration, *Mining Zimbabwe can report.
By Rudairo Mapuranga
The event will mark a significant strategic expansion for Betterbrands, transitioning it from Zimbabwe’s foremost gold buyer to a fully integrated refiner.
Betterbrands Gold CEO, Mr. Fradreck Kunaka, confirmed that the refinery is complete and ready to begin operations. The formal launch is scheduled to take place imminently, celebrating the culmination of the major project.
“We are pleased to confirm that everything is now in place. The refinery is complete, and we are poised to commence operations. The official inauguration ceremony will be held very soon, and we will communicate the date in due course,” Kunaka said.
The opening of the refinery recognises Betterbrands’ pre-eminent role in Zimbabwe’s gold sector. Before its foray into refining, the company, founded by businessman and Mabvuku-Tafara MP Pedzisai “Scott” Sakupwanya, established itself as the largest individual supplier of gold to the state-owned Fidelity Gold Refinery (FGR). Mining sector reports highlight the scale of this contribution, noting that in a recent year, a staggering 18.8 tonnes were sourced through Betterbrands.
Analysts note that Betterbrands has been instrumental in channeling artisanal and small-scale mining output into the formal economy. Over several years, the company has delivered nearly 60 tonnes of gold to FGR, translating to over US$6 billion in foreign currency earnings for the nation. Its operations are a key factor behind FGR’s record performance, which saw the national target of 40 tonnes surpassed in 2025, with projections set for 50 tonnes in 2026.
The launch of the Betterbrands Refinery aligns with national goals to increase local beneficiation of mineral resources. It places Zimbabwe alongside other African nations such as Angola, Ghana, and Burkina Faso, which are also advancing domestic gold refining projects to capture more value from their resources.
The refinery’s opening in Bulawayo represents a major capital investment in the city and is expected to create a new hub for gold processing. It comes at a time when the government’s incentive scheme, offering a 5% premium on gold deliveries to FGR, has successfully boosted formal deliveries. This policy, combined with rising global gold prices, has fuelled a surge in national output.
The official opening will not only celebrate a new industrial facility but also symbolise the evolution of a homegrown company that has significantly impacted the national economy. As Betterbrands moves from trading to refining, it reinforces Zimbabwe’s ambition to become a more influential player in the global gold value chain. The industry will now watch how this new refining capacity integrates with the existing ecosystem and contributes to the next phase of Zimbabwe’s gold story.
