Simon Rudland opens $100 million tobacco plant in Harare

Zimbabwean tycoon Simon Rudland has officially launched a $100 million tobacco processing plant in Harare, in a ceremony attended by President Emmerson Mnangagwa, Vice President Constantino Chiwenga, and Industry Minister Mangaliso Ndlovu. The event marked a milestone in Zimbabwe’s push to expand local processing and add value to its tobacco industry.

Cut Rag facility boosts tobacco output

At the ceremony, President Mnangagwa unveiled the plant’s commemorative plaque and emphasized the government’s support for private-sector-led growth. “We are creating a business environment that is predictable and transparent, where enterprise and innovation are rewarded,” he said. “This facility demonstrates Zimbabwe’s ongoing industrial development and shows that the country is open for business.”

The Harare plant substantially increases Zimbabwe’s ability to convert raw tobacco leaves into cut rag, the shredded blend used in cigarette manufacturing. Company data indicate the facility can process three million kilograms of tobacco per month and produce up to 60,000 master cases of cigarettes. President Mnangagwa highlighted the industry’s role in sustaining more than 160,000 households nationwide and praised Cut Rag Processors for expanding capacity and embracing innovation and sustainability.

Simon Rudland boosts Zimbabwe’s tobacco industry

Simon Rudland, known for his business interests in tobacco, logistics, financial services and agriculture, owns Gold Leaf Tobacco Corporation and distributes the Rudland & George RG cigarette brand. His company, Cut Rag Processors, founded in 2000 as Zimbabwe’s first independent cut rag and cigarette manufacturer, has become a top player in local tobacco processing. The new plant, equipped with German and Italian machinery, is set to target Asian markets and is expected to boost Zimbabwe’s self-sufficiency in finished tobacco products.

Rudland’s success in the world of business has not been without controversy. In March 2023 an Al Jazeera investigation linked him to gold smuggling allegations, which he strongly denied and vowed to contest legally. Later reports tied Emirates Gold DMCC, a gold refinery allegedly connected to Rudland, to money laundering concerns, thus prompting its suspension in the United Arab Emirates and London. The London Bullion Market Association also suspended the refinery’s affiliate membership following a regulatory review. Bloomberg reported that Rudland and Howard Baker are among the ultimate beneficial owners of Emirates Gold DMCC.