About Glytime Foods
Glytime Foods is a modern African agro-processing company dedicated to creating the finest and most nutritious food products. Founded in 2018 by visionary entrepreneur Lesly Marange, Glytime has emerged as a new standard in sustainable, community-driven food production.
Born from Humble Beginnings
Lesly Marange, our CEO and founder, grew up in Khami Prisons Camp in Bulawayo. A descendant of Chief Marange, Lesly’s background instilled in him a strong sense of community and the importance of creating opportunities for others. Armed with a BSc in Food Science and Technology from Chinhoyi University of Technology, an MSc in Strategic Management from NUST, and further studies in Business Transformation at Stanford University, Lesly set out to make a difference in the world of food.
The Early Days
Glytime Foods officially started as a home-based production in February 2018. For years, Lesly worked tirelessly, refining his recipes and building relationships with local farmers. This is where the earliest iterations of signature products like Oaties Cookies, Granola Cereal, and Vumba Mountain Pure Honey were born. As demand grew, Lesly invested in his first oven to increase capacity, marking the first step in scaling up the business.
Glytime Today
Today, we still make our products the same way, with Lesly’s original commitment to quality and community impact. Free of artificial additives. Full of the best ingredients we can find from local producers and growers who do what they do best — including honey from women-led apiaries, small grains from rural farmers, and ethically sourced nuts and fruits. It’s why our products are full of authentic flavor and nutritional value you won’t find anywhere else. We are a socially responsible company known for our community empowerment, sustainable practices, and innovative product development, with distribution across Zimbabwe and partnerships that impact over half a million people in the region.
Impact Beyond the Plate
At the heart of Glytime Foods is our commitment to sourcing raw materials from surrounding smallholder farmer communities. We work with over 500,000 farmers across various value chains:
- 300,900 people in small grains
- 120,000 in honey production
- 1,000 in heritage-based ingredients
- 70,000 in oats farming
- 188,000 in non-timber forest projects
This network ensures a consistent supply of high-quality ingredients while supporting local economies and promoting sustainable agriculture practices.
A Diverse Product Range
Our product line has expanded to include a variety of nutritious options:
- Oaties Cookies
- Granola Cereal
- Granola Cereal
- Vumba Mountain Pure Honey
- Oats
- Nuts and Raisins
- Desiccated Coconut
- Raisins
Each product is crafted with care, using the finest locally-sourced ingredients to deliver both nutrition and flavor.
Partnerships for progress
Glytime Foods believes in the power of collaboration. Our partnership with the Takunda project, led by Care International, has allowed us to develop innovative, community-based formulations for enriched porridge products. We’re also working with World Vision to enhance local food systems in Buhera district, supporting initiatives like Nyashana Agro-processing Investments.
Giving Back
Our founder, Lesly Marange, never forgot the immense role his childhood home, Khami Prison, played in his upbringing. Khami Prison has various trade skills that it offers to inmates which include furniture manufacturing, leather manufacturing, nursing of seedlings and music bands.
Glytime Foods is thrilled to work with these inmates supporting them and help them move away from illegal criminal activities.
“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” Nelson Mandela
Glytime Foods has forged strong partnerships with schools, particularly those adhering to vegetarian or vegan diets. Our diverse range of protein-based products, including vegan sausages, balls, and burgers, has made us a preferred supplier for these institutions.
We’re also committed to supporting youth sports. Glytime sponsors school sports teams in communities, providing them with sporting equipment and uniforms. This initiative not only promotes healthy lifestyles but also helps build strong community connections.
Looking into the Future
As we look to the future, Glytime Foods is constructing a manufacturing plant in MSASA, expanding our “On the Go” and “Healthy Options” lines, and deepening our community involvement. Our 3-5 year supply chain strategy aims to achieve 80% local supply and 20% import as we prepare for the Africa Free Trade Agreement.
