FORTUNE+ VIDEO SPONSORED CONTENTS ADVERTORIALS FORTUNE AUDIO Fortune Careers TRADE AFRICA Election 2026 New TIME REMAINING UNTIL ETHIOPIA’S NATIONAL ELECTION 0Days 0Hours 0Minutes 0Seconds




Soufflet Receives €20m in Investment

Nov 2 , 2019


[ssba-buttons]

The International Finance Corporation and the Private Sector Window of the Global Agriculture & Food Security Program has invested 20 million euros in Soufflet Malt Ethiopia, a subsidiary of the French company Groupe Soufflet. The investment was made to help the company build and operate a malting plant in Ethiopia. IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, will also provide advisory services to 40,000 small-holder barley farmers to include them within the malt supply chian. With about 70pc of the malt used by Ethiopian Brewers being imported, Soufflet Ethiopia plans to source 100pc of its barley locally, with 80pc from smallholder farmers. The malting plant, located in Addis Abeba’s Lemi Industrial Park, is expected to produce 110,000tn of malt annually. "This is Groupe Soufflé’s first investment in Sub-Saharan Africa and marks a strategic milestone for the company," Jean Michel Soufflet, chairman of Groupe Soufflet, said. Soufflet is active in 22 countries in Asia, Europe and South America.  


Radar

Coffee Export Platform Links Ethiopian Roasters with Overseas Consumers

Ethiopian coffee roasters have gained a direct route to international consumers through a multi-brand e-commerce export platform launched by DHL Express Ethiopia and EXM Global PLC. The companies say it is the first platform of its kind in Ethiopia. Bringing together 10 Ethiopian coffee brands in a single digital marketplace, the platform enables overseas customers to order freshly roasted coffee in quantities ranging from speciality retail purchases to larger commercial volumes. DHL Express...


Radar

Addis Abeba Clears 59Km of Rivers, Remains Short of Halfway

Addis Abeba has completed 59Km of river cleanup and development work, although total coverage has yet to reach 50pc. Mayor Adanech Abebe said the 59Km stretch was transformed in one and a half years as she presented a comprehensive review of the city's strategic plan from 2022 to 2026. Mayor Abebe described the progress as a major "breakthrough", saying the work relied entirely on the city's funding, engineers, architects and workers. By comparison, she said, a world-renowned foreign contract...


Radar

Kisse Platform Brings Collateral-Free Microloans Through Agent Network

Mefithe Microfinance S.C., MZ Tech, and Arifpay Financial Technologies S.C. have launched “Kisse”, an agent-powered digital microloan platform designed to expand access to finance for micro and small enterprises. Through trained local agents, borrowers can apply for collateral-free, short-term business loans. Once approved, the funds are transferred to mobile wallets or bank accounts through Arifpay's payment gateway. The partners said loans can be disbursed within hours. Under the par...