- The Chipata Industrial Yard, Kagunda Turn off, Eastern province.
Pounded, raw, fried, freshly cooked and dried groundnuts plus roasted varieties available for diverse culinary applications. Member farmers supply fresh produce ensuring complete traceability and premium quality throughout processing. ZABS certified operations deliver safe nutritious products meeting supermarket and export standards.
Our comprehensive groundnut product range showcases the versatility of this protein-rich legume cultivated by Denise Cousineu Cooperative members across Kanjala ward in Eastern Province. From traditional pounded groundnuts used in Zambian relishes to modern roasted snacks appealing to urban consumers, our processing facility at Chipata Industrial Yard transforms fresh groundnuts into diverse products serving multiple market segments. Each variety undergoes specialized processing optimized for its intended use—gentle handling for whole roasted nuts, controlled roasting for flavor development, and precise grinding for pounded products. ZABS certification guarantees food safety across our entire product line while traceability systems track every batch from specific member farms through processing to final packaging.
Groundnut cultivation provides crucial income diversification for our member farmers, complementing vegetable production with protein-rich legume crops that improve soil fertility through nitrogen fixation. Cooperative-organized bulk purchasing of quality seed varieties ensures members access improved groundnut strains offering higher yields and better disease resistance. Technical training covers optimal planting density, pest management, and proper curing techniques that preserve groundnut quality post-harvest. Value-added processing transforms raw groundnuts worth K15 per kilogram into finished products commanding K35-55 per kilogram depending on processing level and market channel. This significant value addition directly benefits women farmers who historically received minimal returns selling raw groundnuts to intermediaries at harvest time when market prices typically reach annual lows.
Fresh groundnuts arrive from member farms in ventilated bags preventing moisture accumulation during transport. Quality inspectors assess moisture content using calibrated meters, examine kernel size and color uniformity, and test for aflatoxin contamination ensuring food safety compliance. Only premium groundnuts meeting our strict standards enter processing lines for value-added product manufacturing.
Each product variety follows optimized processing protocols—roasted groundnuts receive carefully controlled heat application developing rich flavors without burning, pounded groundnuts undergo mechanical grinding to specified particle sizes, fried varieties use food-grade oils at precise temperatures, while dried products utilize our solar-electric drying chambers maintaining nutritional integrity throughout shelf-stable preservation processes.
Located at Chipata Industrial Yard serving eighty member farmers with certified processing facilities and transparent financial services. Smart invoicing compliance and independent annual audits ensure accountability to every member farmer.
Common questions about membership, products, financial services and cooperative operations answered clearly. Democratic governance ensures transparency and member participation in all cooperative decisions.
Membership is open to all interested women in Chipata and surrounding areas since our 2024 by-law amendments. Contact Board Chairperson Alice Mkandawire at 0977608364 or General Manager Dorothy Chizenga at 0975839373. Complete registration forms and begin monthly contributions to access savings programs, loan products, processing facilities and democratic voting rights immediately.
We process premium dried vegetables including pumpkin leaves, zumba, mutambe, tindingoma and kasongo using solar and electric technology. Our product range includes dried sheet sweet potatoes, sun-dried mangoes and comprehensive groundnut varieties: pounded, raw, fried, freshly cooked, dried and roasted. All products meet ZABS certification standards for supermarkets, chain stores and international markets including Europe and North America.
Various loan products with favorable interest rates support member development and emergency financial needs throughout the year. Loan amounts and terms vary based on savings history, share ownership and specific member circumstances. Monthly contributions build eligibility while dividends on shares provide additional returns. Contact our financial services team to discuss which loan product best matches your current needs and repayment capacity.
Democratic governance ensures every member voice matters through our General Assembly of eighty women meeting annually. Members elect the ten-person Board of Directors who oversee professional management and strategic direction. Committees including Finance, Sales, Procurement, Marketing and Community Supervision provide specialized oversight. Independent auditors ensure financial transparency annually. All major decisions require member approval following cooperative principles of member control and economic participation.
We hold ZABS certification ensuring national food safety compliance, ZPPA registration for procurement activities, Workman's Compensation coverage protecting our team, and Smart Invoicing registration with ZRA for tax transparency. Our processing facilities follow stringent quality control measures including grading, pooling and testing for product consistency. Ministry of Small and Medium Enterprises supervision under the Cooperative Act of 1998 ensures legal compliance and member protection throughout operations.
