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.
Côte d'Ivoire: Cocoa-Grinding Plant Inaugurated In San Pedro
A cocoa-grinding plant has been inaugurated in San Pedro, Côte d'Ivoire, within the Bardo industrial zone. Constructed by the Malaysian group Guan Chong Berhad (GCB), the plant had a cost of 46 billion CFA francs ($78 million).
Authorities have provided details stating that the plant possesses a crushing capacity of 60,000 tonnes of beans annually, with potential growth to 240,000 tonnes in the long term. This new investment by GCB has increased the cocoa processing units in San Pedro to seven, constituting half the total factories operating across Côte d'Ivoire.
Kenya: Farmworks Secures $4.1 Million for Expansion
Kenyan agricultural company FarmWorks has successfully raised $4.1 million in pre-series A financing. Acumen Resilient Agriculture Fund led the deal, supporting small-scale farmers in Africa. These funds will empower the company to expand its farmer network in Kenya and fortify its product offerings and services.
With this most recent funding round, Kenyan agritech FarmWorks, founded by Yi Li in 2020, now accumulates a total of $5.6 million in financing raised to date. FarmWorks, providing agricultural equipment, inputs, consulting, and training, intends to leverage artificial intelligence to enhance agricultural decision-making and production.
Angola: Poultry Project Initiated in Namibe Province
In Angola, a poultry farm has been launched on a 100-hectare expanse in Moçâmedes, Namibe province. Currently, the farm houses three rearing buildings accommodating over 20,000 laying hens and a hatchery. Authorities state its capacity to supply 21,000 units of eggs per day.
The project's second phase will incorporate four additional buildings with a collective capacity to house 90,000 birds, a slaughterhouse with a daily processing capacity of 1,500 birds, and a cold room for preserving the meat. This initiative aims to progressively augment national poultry meat production as the country currently relies on imports to fulfill 90% of its product requirements.
Côte d'Ivoire: Palm Oil Factory Construction Underway
In Côte d'Ivoire, construction of a palm oil extraction plant has commenced in the Lôh-Djiboua region, situated in the country's southwest. Executed by the Chinese group Hunan No.6 Engineering Co, the new plant spans 2.5 hectares on a 22-hectare site.
Projected to have an annual production capacity of 100,000 tonnes of palm oil, the plant's construction is slated for 18 months, with expectations of generating 500 new jobs once operational.
Kenya: KWAL Unveils New Manufacturing Facility
Kenya Wine Agencies Ltd (KWAL), a subsidiary of Dutch brewer Heineken, has recently inaugurated a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility worth Ksh 4 billion ($28.3 million) at Tatu City Industrial Park Ruiru.
According to the company, this production facility will enhance KWAL's local value creation and significantly contribute to the company's long-term growth strategy. This investment marks KWAL's first production facility inaugurated in over two decades.
Côte d'Ivoire: MFB Plans Investment in Cocoa and Wheat Flour
In Côte d'Ivoire, the Turkish group MFB International has outlined a 100 billion Fcfa ($168 million) investment plan for cocoa and flour milling.
While $94 million will fund the construction of a cocoa processing unit with a capacity of 175,000 tonnes of beans annually, the remaining $74 million will finance the establishment of a flour mill dedicated to bakery flour production. Upon completion, these two plants are expected to create 500 new direct jobs within the agri-food industry.
Article by Espoir Olodo.
