By Anna Chibamu
Born in 1991 as the youngest and only son in a family of three, Tanaka “Tank” Mupfurutsa has remained steadfast in his pursuit of business success, undeterred by the unpredictable highs and lows of entrepreneurship.
While his siblings have sought opportunities abroad, Mupfurutsa chose to stay in Zimbabwe, founding Apex Travel Zimbabwe, a premier travel and tours operator among other business ventures.
He continues to navigate the country’s challenging economic terrain with courage and determination, all while supporting his family and building a name for himself in the local business landscape.
At just 19 years old, he launched ‘Black Bean Investments’, a candle and maputi (puffed maize snack) manufacturing company – laying the foundation for a bigger vision.
In an interview with NewZimbabwe.com, Mupfurutsa shares his successes and sorrows, highlighting the guiding principle behind his resilience: “Keep changing. Nothing will work without God in it.”
“It was not easy,” he said, recalling his encounters with the police after overloading his car with maputi but this did not deter him from achieving his goals.
Instead, they became anecdotes of persistence and hustle.
Mupfurutsa invested in his own maputi machines. Scaling up, he was processing tonnes of maize and supplying major retailers.
A milestone came when he landed a contract with Afro Foods, distributing 10,000 packets three times a week to over 15 retail outlets around Harare City. The business later suffered due to the collapse of Afro Foods but he remained undeterred.
While pursuing a Business Studies and Computing Science degree at the University of Zimbabwe (graduated 2013), Mupfurutsa co-founded “Campus Culture”, where he served as finance director.
The student-led enterprise published magazines, hosted events, and even represented the university in a national ICT innovation competition.
Despite multiple job offers, including from leading beverage manufacturers and tech companies, he chose entrepreneurship – the less-travelled path, and that was the birth of Apex Travel.
Apex Travel was formally registered in 2014 as an educational tours company. With unwavering zeal, Mupfurutsa and his team visited over ten schools daily, earning the trust of clients one handshake at a time.
Apex Travel grew into a leading brand, known for luxurious and unforgettable school trips. The company revolutionised the industry by offering high-end experiences to students—luxury coach rides, five-star hotel stays, and fully guided educational experiences.
One of Apex Travel’s historic achievements was chartering a full Boeing aircraft through Fly Africa, taking 140 students from Haig Park Primary School to Victoria Falls.
Another proud moment came when Apex Travel booked out the entire Caribbea Bay Hotel for a school tour. Apex became a household name in schools across Zimbabwe and was known for setting industry trends.
The business expanded rapidly: Apex now included car rental, vehicle tracking, and eventually roadside assistance.
Their custom vehicle tracking system became a unique product in Zimbabwe. Developed in collaboration with Chinese manufacturers, Apex Trackers now provide features such as live tracking, remote vehicle immobilisation, driver behaviour analytics, geo-fencing, playback history, and microphone surveillance.
Apex Travel enforces strict client verification, including fingerprinting and ID capture, which has helped maintain a clean fleet and high customer integrity.
The car rental fleet grew to include sedans, mid-range SUVs, double cabs, fuel savers, luxury SUVs like the 300 series, and Mercedes-Benz S-Class models.
Interestingly, COVID-19 became a defining period for Apex Travel. Though the travel business paused, car rental surged as companies sought vehicles for restricted local movement.
Mupfurutsa reallocated funds from his home construction to fleet expansion, turning a crisis into an opportunity. It was during this time that Apex Travel solidified car rental as its flagship division.
In addition to that, Mupfurutsa acquired haulage trucks from a distressed seller, further diversifying his assets. With no initial plan, he instinctively knew it was a strategic purchase and it proved fruitful.
His late father was always the first to test-drive any new vehicle and validate each major acquisition. His passing in 2024 from cancer was a deep personal loss, but his legacy remains central to Mupfurutsa’s journey.
Mupfurutsa’s personal resilience was again tested when their nearly completed family home caught fire due to negligence by a caretaker.
Despite the destruction, his father encouraged him to finish the project, calling it the “test of time.” With support from loyal contractors, some whom refused payment, he rebuilt the house.
Today, Tanaka Mupfurutsa stands tall as a visionary entrepreneur, husband, father, and innovator who continues to grow Apex Travel into one of Zimbabwe’s most dynamic service providers across travel, logistics, and tech-enabled fleet services.