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.
Uganda: De Heus Begins Construction Of Fish Feed Facility
In Uganda, De Heus, a leading player in the animal feed industry, has kicked off construction of a fish feed plant in the town of Njeru. Once operational, the plant is scheduled to supply 50,000 tonnes of feed per year at full capacity.
The fish farming sector in Uganda currently imports up to 200,000 tonnes of feed per year to meet domestic demand, making this investment a significant step for the Dutch animal nutrition giant to position itself in the Ugandan market.
Benin: Atlantic Moulin Benin Gets $10 Million Support
In Benin, agro-food company Atlantic Moulin Benin (AMB) has received financial support of 6 billion FCFA ($10 million) from The West African Development Bank to develop a wheat mill.
The total cost of the plant is estimated at 20 billion FCFA ($33.4 million) and it will have a processing capacity of 90,000 tonnes of wheat per year. The project aims to redefine the agri-food landscape in Benin by introducing certified and traceable products.
Zambia: Java Foods Opens Noodle Manufacturing Unit
In Zambia, agri-food company Java Foods has signed a $6.5 million investment agreement to set up a new noodle plant. The manufacturing unit, located on an area of 4.7 hectares, is expected to serve local, regional, and international markets.
This new plant will create over 200 new jobs and adds to the company's existing factory in Lusaka, situated in the Chinika Industrial Zone.
Nigeria: Aruwa Invests In Snack Food Manufacturer Fastizers
Aruwa Capital Management, a private equity fund, has invested $2 million in Fastizers Food and Confectionery Limited, a snack food manufacturer based in Nigeria. The funding is intended to support Fastizers Food's growth and expansion within the Nigerian snack food industry, which was valued at $883 million in 2021 and is expected to reach $1.5 billion by 2024.
With this capital injection, the confectionery and snack food manufacturer plans to expand its factory and introduce new products to the local market.
Côte d'Ivoire: Cassava Factory Commissioned
In Côte d'Ivoire, a semi-industrial cassava semolina (Attiéké) production unit based in the town of N'Douci went into service at the end of June.
The facility has the capacity to produce up to two tonnes of cassava semolina per day, a significant increase compared to the 335 kg that was previously produced manually. This marks a significant boost for the Ivorian cassava processing industry, which has been largely small-scale. Côte d'Ivoire is one of the biggest cassava producers in West Africa.
Mozambique: $4.8 Million Coconut Processing Plant To Be Installed
In Mozambique, the construction of a coconut processing plant has commenced in the Mocubela district in the north of Zambezia province. The new unit, occupying a 50-hectare site, is being financed by East Agro, a subsidiary of the Russian mining company Tazetta Resources, and is estimated to cost $4.8 million.
Once operational, the plant is expected to process 20,000 tonnes of coconuts per day, producing cooking oil, coconut water, coconut fibre, and copra (dried coconut pulp). The investment is expected to stimulate and reposition coconut cultivation in the region, leading to improved farmers' incomes. Moreover, the plant will create 400 new permanent jobs and employ 4,000 seasonal workers.
Article by Espoir Olodo.
