Executive Summary

Sherwood Dairy Solutions is a Botswana-based integrated dairy and milk-processing enterprise being developed in Sherwood, Tuli Block. The project aims to establish a modern, sustainable farm-to-market dairy value chain incorporating commercial dairy farming, milk production, processing, value-added dairy products, distribution and renewable energy. With an initial investment of approximately US$10 million, the project will progressively expand to a target herd of 2,000 dairy cows and produce approximately 13.4 million litres of milk annually at full capacity. The business addresses Botswana’s significant dependence on imported milk and dairy products by increasing domestic production, strengthening food security and retaining value within the local economy. Operations will incorporate solar energy, efficient water management, biogas and organic fertiliser production. Sherwood Dairy Solutions will create direct and indirect employment, develop agricultural skills, support local suppliers and contribute to rural economic development, while establishing a scalable platform for future expansion into regional SADC markets. Sherwood Dairy Solutions seeks to raise US$10 million through a structured equity and/or long-term debt investment to fund dairy infrastructure, herd acquisition, milk processing, renewable energy, equipment and working capital. Sherwood Dairy Solutions is led by a multidisciplinary executive team bringing together expertise in business leadership, project and programme management, physical planning, agricultural development, dairy production, engineering, finance, operations, marketing and supply-chain management. The leadership structure is designed to provide the technical, commercial and governance capabilities required to develop and operate a large-scale integrated dairy and milk-processing enterprise. The project is spearheaded by its Founder and Project Director, Mmoloki Poloko, a Registered Physical Planner and experienced project and programme management professional with approximately 17 years of professional experience across public-sector planning, housing, infrastructure development, land administration and private-sector development initiatives. He holds qualifications in Urban and Regional Planning, Project Management and Programme Management, including a Master of Commerce in Programme Management. His experience provides the project with strong capabilities in strategic planning, project coordination, land development, stakeholder management, regulatory processes, investment planning and implementation oversight. The executive management structure will be complemented by experienced specialists responsible for the project's core operational areas, including dairy herd management and animal health, agronomy and fodder production, milk processing and quality assurance, engineering and maintenance, finance and investment management, procurement and logistics, sales and distribution, human resources, and environmental sustainability. Where specialist capabilities are not maintained permanently in-house, the company will engage suitably qualified technical consultants, veterinarians, engineers and other professional service providers. A dedicated Farm and Dairy Operations Team will oversee herd performance, breeding programmes, nutrition, milking operations, animal welfare, biosecurity and productivity. Modern herd-management systems and performance monitoring will support progressive expansion from the initial herd to the targeted 2,000 dairy cows. The Processing and Quality Management Team will manage milk handling, pasteurisation, processing, packaging, cold-chain management and product quality. The team will be responsible for ensuring that production complies with applicable Botswana food-safety, public-health and veterinary requirements while progressively adopting internationally recognised food-quality and safety standards. The Finance and Commercial Team will oversee financial controls, budgeting, treasury management, investor and lender reporting, procurement, commercial agreements, insurance and enterprise risk management. Commercial management will also focus on establishing reliable routes to market across retail, wholesale, hospitality, institutional and industrial customers. Engineering and infrastructure specialists will support the development and operation of the project's milking facilities, processing plant, irrigation systems, boreholes and water infrastructure, renewable-energy systems, cold storage, waste-management systems and supporting farm infrastructure. Sustainability will be integrated into operational decision-making, particularly through solar power, water conservation and recycling, manure utilisation, biogas opportunities and organic fertiliser production. The executive team will operate within a defined corporate governance and accountability framework, with clear separation between strategic oversight, financial control and day-to-day operations. As the project progresses from development into full commercial operation, the management structure will be expanded in line with herd growth, processing capacity and market penetration. Collectively, the leadership model combines strategic project development expertise with specialist dairy, technical, financial and commercial capabilities. This structure is intended to provide Sherwood Dairy Solutions with the management capacity required to successfully execute the approximately US$10 million initial investment, develop a commercially viable integrated dairy operation and position the company for long-term expansion within Botswana and the wider Southern African market. As a start-up, Sherwood Dairy Solutions is currently in the development and pre-operational stage and has therefore not yet commenced full commercial dairy production or generated recurring operating revenue. Accordingly, historical profitability and revenue-growth trends are not yet applicable. The company’s financial outlook is based on the phased development of an integrated dairy production and processing operation. Revenue is projected to grow progressively as the dairy herd expands, milk yields increase, processing capacity is commissioned and products are introduced to the market. The business model targets an eventual herd of approximately 2,000 dairy cows and annual milk production of about 13.4 million litres at full capacity. Future revenues are expected to be generated primarily from the sale of fresh milk and processed dairy products, with additional income opportunities from livestock sales and agricultural by-products. Vertical integration—from fodder production and dairy farming through processing and distribution—is intended to improve cost control, capture greater value across the supply chain and strengthen operating margins. The company is therefore not currently profitable because it is a pre-revenue start-up rather than an established operating business. Profitability is expected to emerge as operations scale and production volumes move toward commercial capacity. The proposed investment will provide the capital required to establish infrastructure, acquire the initial herd and equipment, commission processing operations and provide sufficient working capital during the ramp-up period. The investment proposition is consequently based on forward growth potential rather than historical earnings, supported by Botswana's need for increased domestic dairy production, import substitution and the development of a competitive local dairy value chain.