Finding Zimbabwean Groceries in the UK: Sadza, Matemba, Maheu, and More

For many Zimbabweans in the UK, the craving for sadza, matemba, or a cold cup of maheu is not just about food — it is about staying connected to home. The good news is that a growing network of online Zimbabwean grocery stores now ships across mainland UK, making it easier than ever to stock your kitchen with the tastes you grew up with. ## Online Zimbabwean Grocery Stores Several dedicated online shops have emerged to serve the UK's Zimbabwean diaspora, each carrying a range of staples, snacks, and traditional foods. **Zimtuckshop (zimtuckshop.co.uk)** carries a solid range of traditional Zimbabwean products including Shemark matemba/kapenta (currently priced around £4.50 for 200g), mahewu, baobab fruit pulp (mawuyu), powdered derere/delele (okra), and even Supa Brew for home brewing. Their site has recently been revamped and they offer delivery across the UK. **Zimfoods (zimfoods.co.uk)** is Birmingham-based and stocks a particularly wide range of Zimbabwean branded goods. You will find familiar names such as Lobels biscuits (Choice, Lemon Creams, Custard Creams, Vanilla Creams, and Bermuda Creams), Cerevita in banana and chocolate malt flavours, Royco usavi mix in both chicken and beef variants, Colcom French polony, and Family peanut butter (dovi). Wholesale options are available for bulk buyers, such as a box of 24 Cerevita units for £170–£180. They ship to customers beyond Birmingham, with reported delivery times of around one week. **Happy Hippo Foods (hippofoods.co.uk)** and its sister store **Hippo Store (myhippostore.co.uk)** stock matemba/kapenta in 100g and 200g portions, alongside other Zimbabwean and Southern African groceries. The Hippo Store is based in Hemel Hempstead (Three Gables Business Centre, HP3 9HN). Stock availability varies, so checking regularly is worthwhile. **Solide Store UK (solidestore.uk)** specialises in Zimbabwean products and sells Matemba Kariba Dried Kapenta in 250g packs. They can be reached via WhatsApp on +44 7728 598027 or +44 7361 031838, which is handy if you want to check availability before ordering. **Hungwe Tuckshop (hungwetuckshop.co.uk)** is London-based and offers collection from Woolwich Arsenal as well as city-to-city tours across the UK — useful if you prefer not to wait for delivery. They stock madora (mopane worms), Savanna Dry Cider, Hunters Gold, freezits, and various other Southern African goods. Contact: 07472350503. **Tengai Online (tengaionline.com)** describes itself as Zimbabwe's premier online grocery store and ships to the UK. Their range includes sadza staples like Red Seal Roller Meal (10kg for around £6.60), Cerevita 500g (£4.10), matemba/kapenta in 1kg bags (£23.84), and Huletts Brown Sugar. They also carry Maggi instant noodles and Mahatma white rice. ## Key Products and Approximate UK Prices (as at early 2025) - **Matemba/Kapenta**: 100g around £3.29–£3.99; 200g around £4.49–£4.50; 250g available at Solide; 1kg around £23.84 - **Red Seal Roller Meal** (for sadza): 10kg around £6.60 - **Cerevita**: 500g around £4.10; wholesale boxes of 24 from £170 - **Royco Usavi Mix** (chicken or beef): around £1.50–£2.99 - **Family Peanut Butter/Dovi**: 300g around £2.00 - **Lobels Biscuits**: various varieties, around £1.25–£3.50 - **Mahewu/Maheu**: Mushe Mahewu Overnight available at Zimtuckshop, around £2.99–£5.90 - **Madora** (mopane worms): available at Hungwe Tuckshop - **Mawuyu** (baobab fruit pulp): around £5.99 - **Derere/Delele** (powdered okra): around £4.50 ## Finding Rape, Covo, and Other Vegetables Fresh Zimbabwean vegetables like rape and covo are harder to source online due to perishability. Your best options are African and Caribbean food markets in cities with large diaspora communities — Birmingham, London (Peckham, Brixton, Woolwich, Lewisham), Manchester, and Leeds. Some Asian supermarkets also stock rape leaves, sold under different names. Facebook groups such as "Zimbabweans in the UK" are frequently used to share tips on local sources. ## Eating Out For those who want sadza cooked properly without the effort, Zimbabwean restaurants are available in larger cities. Rhodees Restaurant offers sadza with highfiridzi (gango — assorted meats) for £15, and a meat platter for four with sadza and greens for £45. ## Practical Tips - Join Facebook groups for Zimbabweans in your city — informal sellers and pop-up tuck shops often advertise there - Hungwe Tuckshop's city-to-city tours mean you may be able to collect in your city without paying full postage - Bulk buying matemba and roller meal makes sense given shipping costs — a 1kg bag of matemba from Tengai works out more economical per gram than smaller packs - WhatsApp is widely used by these small businesses to confirm stock and arrange orders; do not hesitate to message directly