An opportunity for a project worth between five and seven million euros from Zimbabwe – that was one of the outcomes, “The Danish Tripartite,” consisting of three participants from Access2innovation’s delegation trip in October, brought home. The trip to Zimbabwe proved to be far more than just a week of meetings and a field visit. It opened the door to concrete business opportunities and strong new partnerships.
When Michael Bjørn, Regional Sales Manager Africa at Cimbria, joined Access2innovation’s delegation to Zimbabwe in October, he did not dare to expect that the journey would lead to an opportunity for a multimillion-euro project – and a brand-new business alliance.
The lead emerged when Michael Bjørn, together with Kent Overgaard from Baader and Henrik Wollesen from Engsko United Milling Systems, visited a major player in Zimbabwean agriculture. The visit was arranged as one of many B2B meetings where participating companies on our delegation trips get the opportunity to meet and talk with businesses relevant to them.
A ‘Danish tripartite’ to create jobs in Africa
“If I hadn’t joined the trip, it wouldn’t have happened. I didn’t know Kent or the company Baader before we went. But now, the three of us – Kent, Henrik, and I – are working closely together on a major order for a company we visited during the trip. Our products complement each other perfectly. Cimbria provides agricultural equipment, Baader offers slaughterhouse solutions, and Henrik supplies a type of grinder that we don’t have ourselves. So, we all contribute with Danish technology. During the visit, we joined forces as a kind of ‘Danish tripartite’ in Africa. Now we hope that in a year or a year and a half, we can send a large joint order to the customer,” says Michael Bjørn. He continues:
“We hope to involve either IFD (Impact Fund Denmark) or EIFO (Export and Investment Fund of Denmark) with equity. Then we’ll have a Danish four-part collaboration that even creates jobs in Zimbabwe.”
The company interested in Danish agrotech is a large agricultural holding with both poultry production and crop farming. They want to expand their crop production with maize and soybeans so they can establish their own feed factory and increase poultry production.
Networks are essential
Michael Bjørn is the regional sales manager for Africa, working closely with Cimbria’s office in Nairobi, but is himself based in Thisted, Denmark. Overall, he was very pleased with the delegation trip:
“It was really well organized. We started with a good introductory program that presented the country and gave an overview of politics and opportunities, and provided relevant presentations for each sector. Along the way, you develop a really good network with people who face the same challenges as you do. Some have been in Africa for 50–60 years, and others are there for the first time. And Africa is so big that, for example, Nigeria is an entirely different place from Zimbabwe. It’s a different culture and a different set of challenges.”
Praise for the commercial staff at Danish embassies
Michael Bjørn concludes by praising the staff at Danish embassies in Africa:
“The staff at the embassies are doing a great and important job. They deserve big thanks. There should be no doubt that the money allocated to the Danish embassies in Africa is money well spent.”
About the delegation
Organized in partnership with the Danish Agriculture & Food Council, Afrika Consultancy, and supported by the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the delegation brought together Danish companies from the energy, agriculture, and food systems sectors. The goal was to explore opportunities for green growth and investment in one of Africa’s most promising markets.
The full delegation in Zimbabwe.
Delegation dinner with the Danish Embassy.
About the three companies:
- Cimbria
Cimbria, a brand of Grain & Protein Technologies, is a global leader in providing advanced solutions for the industrial processing, cleaning, optical sorting, and handling of bulk products. - Baader
Baader offers a portfolio of fish and poultry processing as well as machines for further processing. - Engsko United Milling Systems
Engsko manufactures millstones, tailor-made milling systems, and milling equipment, prioritizing quality and customer service.
About the delegation: Opportunities for green growth and investment in one of Africa’s most promising markets
The successful delegation trip to Zimbabwe took place in October 2025. The week combined strong business engagement, new partnerships, and a renewed commitment to sustainable collaboration between Denmark and Africa.
Organized in partnership with the Danish Agriculture & Food Council, Afrika Consultancy and supported by the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the delegation brought together Danish companies from the energy, agriculture, and food systems sectors. The goal was to explore opportunities for green growth and investment in one of Africa’s most promising markets.