Ivorian group Avos acquires chicks, egg producer SMAG from French-owned Somdia
IVORY COAST – The Société Meunière et Avicole du Gabon (SMAG), a company specializing in milling, eggs, day-old chick production, has been sold to the Ivorian group Avos.
The transaction sees the business shifting ownership from Somdia, a subsidiary of the French company Castel, to the group led by Ivorian businessman Jean-Marie Ackah.
The financial details of the deal were not disclosed.
SMAG operates in the livestock sector through its Nkoltang farm, which is Gabon’s leading egg production site.
The company supplies national breeders with day-old chicks and quality feed, which are critical to maintaining poultry farms.
According to CEO Olivier Parent, the company is refocusing on its primary sectors, including agriculture and primary processing.
Over the years, Somdia has been gradually selling its milling operations in Africa, including previous sales in Cameroon and Congo to Cameroonian entrepreneur Célestin Tawamba.
For Avos, acquiring SMAG aligns with its plans to expand in sub-Saharan Africa’s agri-food industry.
The group, which has operations in Burkina Faso, Mali, and Ghana, also recently purchased a mill in Togo that was previously owned by Somdia.
The acquisition is expected to enhance Avos’s production capacity, particularly in flour processing.
Rising Demand for Eggs and Poultry in Ivory Coast
Egg consumption in Ivory Coast has risen by 67% over the past 12 years, with an average of 52 eggs consumed per person in 2020.
This trend is expected to continue, with projections indicating that consumption will reach 86 eggs per person by 2025.
Industry analysts predict that demand for eggs and poultry in the country will soon exceed supply.
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