Finding Zimbabwean Groceries, Butcheries and Traditional Foods in the UK

For Zimbabweans settled across Britain, tracking down covo, matemba, maputi, Lacto, Mazoe, and halaal meat can feel like a mission — but a growing network of specialist shops, online retailers, and informal community buying clubs has made it significantly easier to eat like you're back home. The demand is real and growing. As the Zimbabwean diaspora in the UK has expanded — concentrated particularly in London, Birmingham, Milton Keynes, Bedford, Bristol, Coventry, and Leicester — so too has the informal economy of suppliers catering to their tastes. Today, options range from dedicated physical butcheries and grocery shops to online delivery services and WhatsApp-based community orders. **Physical Shops and Butcheries** One of the most well-known destinations for Zimbabweans in the East Midlands is Palmers Quality Butchers in Bletchley, Milton Keynes. The shop stocks a broad range of Southern African groceries alongside its butchery counter, and has built a loyal following among Zimbabwean and South African shoppers from as far as Bedford and beyond. Customers regularly describe it as having a family atmosphere, with staff known for being welcoming. For those who cannot visit in person, Palmers also accepts online orders. To find it, simply search "Palmers Bletchley Milton Keynes" online. Also in Milton Keynes, MK Zim Foods operates out of Units 32 and 33 at the Agora Market Place, stocking Zimbabwean and Southern African products for local shoppers. In Birmingham, a city with one of the largest Zimbabwean communities in the UK, several African and Southern African grocery outlets stock familiar brands. Shoppers have reported finding Lacto, covo seed, matemba (dried kapenta), Royco usavi mix, Colcom products, and Cerevita in shops serving the broader African diaspora, particularly in the Handsworth, Winson Green, and Lozells areas. **Online Retailers** For those who cannot easily access a physical shop, several online stores now deliver across the UK: - **Zimfoods.co.uk** (based in Birmingham) offers a wide catalogue including Lobels biscuits, Royco usavi mixes, Colcom polony, Cerevita, Family peanut butter (dovi-style), Aromat seasoning, Knorrox stock cubes, and Charhons biscuits. Prices are generally in the £2–£10 range per item, with wholesale boxes available for community buyers. The site accepts online payments and ships nationally. - **Zimtuckshop.co.uk** positions itself as a one-stop shop for Zimbabwean and Southern African products, explicitly listing Mazoe, Cerevita, Maputi, and Madora (mopane worms) among its core offerings. The site also stocks traditional herbs, African print fabric products, and gifts — making it useful for cultural occasions and care packages. - **Gazmart (gazmart.co.uk)** describes itself as a supplier to the Zimbabwean diaspora across the UK and EU, stocking Mazoe, Cheezies, Jupiters, and similar favourites. **Halaal Meat** For Zimbabwean Muslims and others who require halaal-certified meat, the UK's existing halaal butchery infrastructure — present in virtually every major city — generally meets this need. In areas with significant South Asian and West African Muslim populations (Birmingham, Leicester, London, Bradford, Manchester), certified halaal butchers are widely accessible. Zimbabwean shoppers looking for halaal meat prepared in a familiar Southern African style sometimes rely on community contacts or arrange for marinating and seasoning at home using products like Royco or Aromat purchased from the Zimbabwean grocery stores listed above. **Growing Your Own Covo** For those with gardens or allotments, covo (also known as couve or tronchuda kale) seeds are available online through UK-based sellers on eBay and Etsy, typically priced between £2.73 and £3.50 for packets of 15–20 seeds. The plants grow reasonably well in British summers and provide a steady supply of the leaf that is central to many Zimbabwean dishes. **Community Buying Groups** Facebook groups such as "UK & Zimbabwe Grocery Clubs" facilitate group orders, shared deliveries, and tips on where to find specific products. These groups are particularly useful for locating harder-to-find items like matemba, lacto biscuits, and fresh covo leaves, and for splitting the cost of bulk orders. WhatsApp community groups within specific cities serve a similar function. **Practical Tips** - For online orders, check whether minimum order thresholds apply before shipping charges kick in — buying in bulk often reduces the per-item cost significantly. - When visiting physical shops, calling ahead to confirm stock of specific items like matemba or covo is advisable, as availability varies. - Cerevita, Mazoe Orange Crush, Lobels biscuits, and Royco usavi mix are among the most consistently stocked items across multiple retailers. - Some larger Tesco and Asda stores in areas with significant African communities have begun stocking select Southern African products, though the range is limited compared to dedicated shops.