Here's the latest in ESM's regular series, Notes From Africa, which brings you the latest retail, consumer goods and food and beverage stories from across the African continent. Past editions can be found here.
Zambia: Seba Foods Gets A $4 Million Boost
Zambian snack manufacturer Seba Foods has received a $4 million loan facility from Africa Agriculture and Trade Investment Fund (AATIF). The money will enable the company to increase its purchasing of maize and soya from local smallholder farmers in the country and boost the manufacturing at its new processing facility. The company's product range includes corn soya blend (porridge), as well as snacks, a segment in which the company has managed to become market leader in the country.
Angola: Fish Processing Plant To Be Launched In 2022
Angolan agri-food company Seatag Pesca plans to unveil its new fish processing plant by the first quarter of 2022. Located in the province of Zaire, the facility has a processing capacity of 60,000 tonnes of fish per year. According to media reports, the fish processing factory currently under construction is 70% complete. At a total cost of $90 million, the project is expected to provide nearly 900 job opportunities.
Ghana: Weddi Africa Commissions New Tomato Processing Factory
In Ghana, a tomato processing plant has just been unveiled in the Bono region. At a total cost of $16 million, the unit was developed by the agri-food group Weddi Africa Ltd. It has an installed capacity to process 40,000 tonnes of fresh tomatoes per year. In terms of supply, the new facility will rely on a 971-hectare plantation and a network of independent growers comprising 2,000 farmers in the Ahafo and Bono region. It features a cold room with a storage capacity of 500 tonnes of fresh tomatoes, as well as a research laboratory.
Kenya: New Milk Processing Plant Opens In Nyandarua County
A new milk processing plant has opened in Kenya's Nyandarua County. Installed by Ol Kalou Dairy, a leading milk distributor, the $1 million plant has a production capacity of 5,000 litres of pasteurised milk per day. Incorporated in 2001, Ol Kalou Dairy has 14,400 registered milk suppliers, who supply between 35,000 litres and 70,000 litres of milk daily. It plans to expand its activities soon by installing a processing line for long-life milk.
Uganda: Uganda Breweries to Increase Local Raw Material Sourcing
Uganda Breweries Limited (UBL) has entered into a partnership with the government to boost its local raw material sourcing. The company plans to achieve 100% local raw material sourcing within the next five years. Three strategic crops are being targeted by the partnership, namely, barley, sorghum and cassava. The company plans to double the number of farmers in its supply network. The brewery spends approximately Ush 45 billion ($13 million) annually on farming communities in Northern, Eastern and Western Uganda.
Mali : ComaFruits Receives Support Loan
Mali-based mango processing company ComaFruits has received a $1.8 million (€1.6 million) loan from social impact investor Oikocredit. According to local media reports, the fund will be used to purchase fresh mangoes, packaging materials and equipment for processing and exporting mango products. The loan will also help expand ComaFruits' s network of smallholder suppliers and strengthen its relationship with international buyers. ComaFruits contributes to the livelihoods of more than 3,000 mango farmers and their families.
© 2021 European Supermarket Magazine. Article by Espoir Olodo. For more A-Brands news, click here. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: European Supermarket Magazine.
