Côte d'Ivoire Cocoa Processing Facility – Origin Value Addition

Requirement

A greenfield cocoa processing facility in Côte d'Ivoire seeks $26.5 million in equity investment to capture value addition at origin. The facility will process 30,000 tonnes of cocoa beans annually into semi-finished products (butter, powder, liquor) for export to European and Asian chocolate manufacturers. The project includes construction of a modern processing plant in San-Pédro's industrial zone, near the world's second-largest cocoa port. Technology partners include European equipment suppliers with established African installations. Operations will source directly from certified cooperatives, ensuring traceability and sustainability credentials. We seek strategic investors, private equity funds, and chocolate industry players seeking backward integration. Investment structure is equity participation in an Ivorian operating company with potential for convertible instruments. The project benefits from Côte d'Ivoire's investment incentives including tax holidays and import duty exemptions. Côte d'Ivoire produces 40% of global cocoa yet processes less than 35% domestically. Government policy strongly supports origin processing with targets to process 50% by 2025. Processing margins significantly exceed raw bean trading margins, and proximity to supply ensures quality control and traceability. Target returns of 22-28% IRR with 5-year investment horizon. Exit options include strategic sale to major chocolate companies, IPO on regional exchange, or secondary sale. Construction timeline is 18 months with commercial operations by Q3 2028.