Guan Chong eyes stake in Ivory Coast-based cocoa manufacturer Transcao CI 

IVORY COAST – Guan Chong Bhd (GCB), the world’s fourth-largest cocoa grinder, is in talks to acquire a 25 percent stake in Transcao Côte d’Ivoire (Transcao CI), a cocoa manufacturing company based in Ivory Coast.  

The move aims to strengthen GCB’s position in the global cocoa supply chain and expand its footprint in Ivory Coast, the world’s largest cocoa-producing country. 

GCB’s subsidiary, GB Cocoa Singapore Pte Ltd, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Transcao CI’s shareholders, Conseil du Café-Cacao (CCC) and Transcao Negoce, granting GCB exclusive negotiation rights for three months to finalize the deal.  

Ivory Coast produces about two million metric tonnes of cocoa beans annually, accounting for approximately 40% of the global cocoa supply. 

Brandon Tay Hoe Lian, Managing Director and CEO of GCB, emphasized the strategic significance of the partnership, stating, “The collaboration between GCB and CCC will strengthen our position as the world’s fourth-largest cocoa grinder. It allows us to leverage each other’s strengths to export Ivory Coast’s cocoa ingredients to customers worldwide.”  

He added that the partnership aligns with GCB’s vision to become a preferred supplier of cocoa ingredients globally. 

Transcao CI is a private company with the majority of its shares held by CCC, a government regulator responsible for the development and regulation of Ivory Coast’s cocoa and coffee sectors.  

Ivory Coast has been actively implementing policies to encourage local cocoa processing, including offering tax incentives and other benefits to Ivorian companies. 

The deal, if concluded, would mark another milestone for GCB, which commissioned a 60,000 metric ton (MT) per year cocoa grinding facility in Ivory Coast in 2023.  

The facility is GCB’s first outside of Asia and has the potential to increase its capacity to 240,000 MT annually. 

CCC Director Yves Brahima Kone expressed enthusiasm for the partnership, noting that it would bring valuable technical expertise to Ivory Coast’s cocoa industry.  

“There is also a big training component. We will have Ivorians in the commercial, sales, and technical teams to learn and master GCB’s know-how,” Kone said. 

In 2023, GCB’s total cocoa grinding capacity reached 330,000 metric tons, while its industrial chocolate capacity increased to 116,000 MT.  

With operations in Malaysia and Indonesia and a sales presence in over 80 countries, the partnership with Transcao CI is expected to further bolster GCB’s global operations. 

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