SOGUIPAL secures US$5.6M loan to expand yogurt facility

GUINEA – Société Guinéenne de Produits Alimentaires (SOGUIPAL) has secured a US$5.6 million loan from Proparco, the private-sector financing arm of France’s development agency, to expand its yogurt production capacity.

The financing will support a €7.2 million (US$8 million) investment programme to expand SOGUIPAL’s yogurt production facility in Coyah, on the outskirts of Conakry, while covering working capital needs associated with higher output.

The expansion will add six metric tons of yogurt production per day, increasing the facility’s total capacity to 15 metric tons.

The additional output is expected to help SOGUIPAL meet growing demand for affordable, high-quality dairy products made locally.

The project will create 30 additional direct jobs, bringing the company’s workforce to 73 employees, while supporting more than 1,500 indirect jobs.

French companies Tecnal and Erca will contribute industrial expertise, with Tecnal supplying production equipment and Erca providing part of the packaging machinery.

Beyond the loan, Proparco will provide technical assistance to strengthen SOGUIPAL’s quality, health, safety and environmental practices.

Founded in 2011 by Ibrahima Diallo, SOGUIPAL is the agro-industrial subsidiary of Comptoir Commercial Général (CCG).

The company produces and packages yogurt, powdered milk, tomato paste, mayonnaise and margarine, distributing its products across Guinea and several countries in the sub-region.

Through its Best Yaourt brand, SOGUIPAL has established a leading position in Guinea’s yogurt market. The expansion is intended to strengthen its ability to serve consumers as demand for locally produced dairy products grows.

“This project marks another important milestone in SOGUIPAL’s development,” Diallo, the company’s Chairman and Chief Executive, said.

He added that the investment would increase production, create employment and deepen the company’s contribution to local processing and Guinea’s food industry.

The project also addresses a dairy sector heavily dependent on imports. By increasing domestic production, SOGUIPAL aims to strengthen Guinea’s agro-industrial value chain, particularly cold-chain management, which remains a significant challenge across the sub-region.

Sadio Dicko, Proparco’s Regional Director for West Africa, said the financing would support a Guinean entrepreneur who had developed SOGUIPAL into a leading industrial player in its market.

He said expanding local food processing was essential to strengthening West African economies and reducing reliance on imported finished products.

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