Imperial Foods is a company that produces instant noodles for the African population and is part of the private sector and the US government’s effort to fight poverty, malnutrition and HIV/AIDS in Africa by introducing soy-fortified and vitamin-enriched instant noodles to the diet of Africans. Imperial Foods Company is located in the Douala free zone and has a surface of 7000 m2 and offering direct and indirect jobs to an estimated 200 number of people.
CENAINVEST has been actively involved in the development of this company through equity and quasi-equity finance and offering (technical) management expertise to develop a strong team to run the operations of the company.
The objectives of the company are to:
• ensure the production and sale of precooked fortified noodles to humanitarian organizations at affordable prices
• be a leading African partner in food aid programmes
• participate in UN and US Government food related programmes in the region to fight poverty, hunger, malnutrition and improve the nutritional status of AIDS patients
• provide quick solutions in times of famine and food crisis
• create a new market by introducing instant noodles to the consumer market in the Central Africa Region
• fight against poverty through long-term job creation
• provide Africans with tasty, healthy and nutritious food at affordable prices.
Imperial Foods Company in Douala has officially launched its activities on Thursday 26th of April 2012. The launching ceremony took place in Douala and was attended by the Governor of the Littoral Region, Mr. Joseph Beti ASSOMO and the Consul of the Embassy of the United States, Mr. Edward GALLAGHER. Source: http://www.cenainvest.com
GENESIS OF THE PROJECT
As part of the private sector’s and the US government’s effort to fight poverty, malnutrition and HIV/AIDS in Africa, it has been decided to introduce soy-fortified and vitamins-enriched instant noodles in the diet of Africans.
To this effect, a public-private partnership is being set up in the form a new company to be created with the support and the technical know-how of USDA to carry out this project in the Central African region and beyond.
The original sponsor of this project is the USDA FAS which carried out a feasibility study in Senegal between November 2004 and March 2005.
All funds for the project are private and come from the shareholders and private financiers.
IFC project is a replication of similar projects undertaken in Asia by USDA FAS and IRD.
Note:
USDA FAS: United States Department Of Agriculture – Foreign Agriculture Service
IRD: Institut de recherche pour le Déveloopement
IFC: Imperial Foods Company
Source: Imperial Foods – your African food partner (pdf)