Global agribusiness Olam Agri has announced a $200 million investment to expand its cocoa processing operations in Côte d’Ivoire, reinforcing the country’s push to move up the global cocoa value chain.
The investment centres on expanding grinding capacity at Olam Agri’s existing facilities, increasing the production of cocoa liquor, butter, and powder for export to Europe, Asia, and North America. Once completed, the project is expected to lift annual processing volumes by several hundred thousand tonnes, positioning Côte d’Ivoire more firmly as a semi-finished cocoa exporter rather than a raw bean supplier.
From Raw Exports to Value Capture
Côte d’Ivoire produces more than 40% of the world’s cocoa, yet historically exports most of it in unprocessed form. Olam Agri’s expansion aligns with government-led industrialisation efforts aimed at retaining more value domestically through local processing, job creation, and foreign exchange earnings.
For Olam Agri, the strategy is equally commercial. Global chocolate manufacturers are seeking tighter supply chains, traceability, and proximity to origin. Processing at source reduces logistics costs, mitigates supply risks, and improves margins in an industry facing volatile input prices and sustainability scrutiny.
Infrastructure and Industrial Spillovers
Beyond the processing plants themselves, the investment includes upgrades to logistics, storage, and energy systems supporting the facilities. Cold storage, port coordination, and local transport networks are expected to benefit indirectly, strengthening the broader agro-industrial ecosystem around Abidjan and San Pedro.
The expansion is also expected to deepen linkages with smallholder farmers through procurement contracts, quality programs, and sustainability compliance — increasingly a requirement for access to premium international markets.
A Signal to Global Food Capital
Olam Agri’s move sends a clear signal to global food and agribusiness investors: origin-based processing is no longer optional but central to competitiveness in the cocoa sector. As governments across Africa push for beneficiation and as buyers demand resilient supply chains, capital is following infrastructure, not just acreage.
For Côte d’Ivoire, the project reinforces its ambition to transform cocoa from a commodity export into an industrial anchor. For the global food system, it reflects a broader shift toward decentralised processing, closer-to-source manufacturing, and long-term value creation across the agricultural value chain.
