International Food Exhibitions and Wine & Spirits Show 2024 start on 13 November

 

Five specialised business exhibitions for food, beverage, packaging, machinery and technology exhibitions for the food industry in the Balkans and South-Eastern Europe

  WHY TO VISIT THE EXHIBITIONS?

  Meatmania – new technologies in the meat processing industry
  Dairy Expo Sofia - novelties and trends in dairy processing
  Bulpek - everything starts with the grain and bread
  Interfood & Drink - international product presentations
  Wine & Spirits Show – wines, spirits, craft drinks and beer from all around the world
  For the third year, BoulevArt of Tastes touches the senses with surprising, traditional and impressive offerings
  7th International Pizza Championship
  Professional conferences, seminars and presentations


Wine & Spirits Show presents Bulgarian and international brands from the production of vodka, whiskey, cognac, wine, beer, gin to craft and art products in each category.

 

Vantage Capital concludes a €14.0m deal with Société de Production Maraîchère Samir S.A. (SPMS) SPMS has ambitions to expand further and will utilise Vantage Capital's investment to finance its development strategy and triple its cultivated area to 300+ h

 

AGADIR, Morocco, September 23, 2024/ -- Vantage Capital (www.VantageCapital.co.za), Africa’s largest mezzanine fund manager, announced today that it closed a €14 million mezzanine investment in Société de Production Maraîchère Samir S.A. (“SPMS”) to part-fund the company’s investment programme.

SPMS was founded by Mr. Samir Jbali and Mr. Samir Belhouari, two Moroccan agronomists with a shared entrepreneurial vision, and the company has since grown into a leading agricultural player. Headquartered in Agadir, Morocco, it has specialised in cherry tomato production since 1992 and then expanded into red fruits (raspberries, blueberries and blackberries) in 2014 through a partnership with the US-based group Driscoll’s, a leading global seller of fresh berries. The company currently manages a planted area of 101 hectares and employs over 2,000 people, mostly farm workers that it trains in modern agricultural practices.

SPMS is a high-performing grower, achieving some of the highest yields in the region. It is constantly seeking new berry varieties and optimising processes to enhance product quality and yield, while minimising its environmental impact. This includes the use of dual-irrigation systems and desalinated water for farming to address water scarcity issues, digital solutions to monitor temperature, humidity and other parameters in its greenhouses, and following best-in-class prevention measures against biological threats. SPMS’s commitment to supporting local communities is seen through its vibrant Corporate Social Responsibility programme. In addition to providing employment and training opportunities, the company actively undertakes various initiatives to uplift the surrounding villages, such as supplying drinking water or rehabilitating local schools.

SPMS has ambitions to expand further and will utilise Vantage Capital's investment to finance its development strategy and triple its cultivated area to 300+ hectares.

Mr. Samir Jbali, CEO of SPMS, commented, “We are very pleased to have the support of Vantage Capital. This transaction marks a significant milestone for our company and will enable us to execute our long-term strategic vision of expanding our market presence.”

Mr. Luc Albinski, Executive Chairman at Vantage Capital, added, “We are proud to support SPMS in its next phase of growth. The agricultural sector is very dynamic in Morocco and SPMS has consistently demonstrated strong leadership. This transaction represents our fourth deal in the country, and we are thrilled to provide a tailored mezzanine solution to this fast-growing management-owned business.”

Mr. Driss Benabdeslam, Partner at Vantage Capital, concluded, “Investing in SPMS reflects our confidence in management’s strategic vision and operational excellence within the agricultural industry. We welcome the opportunity to partner with a company that continues to innovate and lead in the cultivation of high-quality produce. We are confident that this transaction will unlock significant value for all stakeholders.”

This transaction represents Vantage Capital’s 38th investment across four generations of funds with its portfolio of investments spread across eleven African countries.

Vantage Capital was advised by Clifford Chance (in Morocco) who acted as its legal counsel. Deloitte (in Morocco) and Backer McKenzie (in Luxembourg) provided tax advice, Deloitte (in Morocco) was the financial advisor, Emerton (in France) provided commercial advice, and Ibis Consulting (in Morocco) reviewed the environmental impact.

SPMS was advised by Mouttaki & Partners (in Morocco) who acted as their legal counsel and Majorelle Capital (in Morocco) who acted as financial advisor.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Vantage Capital Group. 

Vice President Quaynor leads African Development Bank mission to India to strengthen business ties The delegation participated in a roundtable with 15 Indian pharmaceutical and healthcare infrastructure companies, co-hosted by the Bank and India Exim Bank

 
ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast, September 17, 2024/ -- An African Development Bank (www.AfDB.org) delegation led by Vice President Solomon Quaynor has concluded a four-day official visit to India to explore investment and trade opportunities and partnerships between Africa and India in pharmaceuticals, agriculture, and technology.
 
During the mission, which took in the cities of New Delhi, Gurgaon and Faridabad, Quaynor, the Bank’s Vice President for Private Sector, Infrastructure, and Industrialisation positioned the Bank as a potential partner to India’s private sector in the areas of project financing and de-risking initiatives, among others. He also promoted the Africa Investment Forum as a platform offering access to unparalleled investments across the continent.
 
The delegation participated in a roundtable with 15 Indian pharmaceutical and healthcare infrastructure companies, co-hosted by the Bank and India Exim Bank. Discussions centred on the opportunities and challenges presented by developing local production and robust infrastructure in Africa’s pharmaceutical markets, which face an estimated $111 billion investment gap through 2030.
 
The African Development Bank has developed a pharmaceutical and vaccine manufacturing strategy (https://apo-opa.co/47xpdte) and plans to invest up to $3.1 billion through 2030 to support its implementation.
 
Quaynor said, “We have partnered with the India Exim Bank to support Indian private sector participation in Africa’s growth story. This includes India’s private sector participating in government projects that the African Development Bank finances with India Exim export credit financing. An example is the Noor Ouarzazate solar power plant in Morocco, which was funded by an AfDB loan to the Moroccan government; the EPC involved two Indian companies Sterling & Wilson and Shapoorji Pallonji.”
 
During a meeting with Ms. Manisha Sinha, Additional Secretary of the Indian Ministry of Finance and the Bank's Group’s Alternate Governor, Vice President Quaynor commended India's long-standing support to the Bank Group, and highlighted potential areas of collaboration in youth training, digital financial inclusion, and the digitisation of health infrastructure.
 
Quaynor also participated in the 19th India-Africa Business Conclave, an annual event organized by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), in partnership with Indian Ministries of Commerce and Industry, and External Affairs. The Vice President stressed that Africa remains the second-fastest growing region globally, with average real GDP growth expected to reach 4.3 percent in 2025, up from 3.7 percent in 2024. According to African Development Bank forecasts, seventeen African economies are projected to grow by more than 5 percent in 2024.
 
During a panel session on critical minerals, Quaynor emphasised that African countries are seeking partners that can help them move up EV and battery supply chains, as Africa pursues industrialisation. He added that the African Development Bank helps finance projects by offering long-term debt and guarantees, as well as indirect equity through private equity and venture capital fund investments.
 
The Bank’s team also visited the premises of the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) to discuss potential collaboration on extension models, public seed systems, and training. The IARI played a key role in driving India’s green revolution, during which the country’s agriculture underwent transformation into a modern industrial system through adoption of high yielding variety seeds, mechanisation, irrigation and other inputs.
 
India recently contributed $6 million towards a new trust fund to be managed by the Bank, under a bilateral Technical Cooperation Agreement signed in March 2024. The Indian government has also provided $2 million to the Africa Digital Financial Inclusion Facility (ADFI) (www.ADFI.org), managed by the African Development Bank.
 
"As we look forward, there are key sectors of growth that Indian companies could have a competitive advantage over other global markets, thereby facilitating south-south cooperation,” Quaynor said. “This requires industrialisation in Africa – so moving up the production value chain in Africa to take advantage of the AfCFTA, which is a single continental market of 1.4 billion people and a GDP of over $3.4 trillion."
 
The Vice president was joined by Mr. Osamu Kawanishi, Director of the Asia External Representation Office, Ms. Yuna Choi, Chief External Relations and Communications Officer and Mr. O’Neil Rane, Principal Resource Mobilisation and Partnerships Officer. The mission took place from August 20-23. 
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Development Bank Group (AfDB).
 
About the African Development Bank Group:
The African Development Bank Group (AfDB) is Africa’s premier development finance institution. It comprises three distinct entities: the African Development Bank (AfDB), the African Development Fund (ADF) and the Nigeria Trust Fund (NTF). On the ground in 34 African countries with an external office in Japan, the AfDB contributes to the economic development and the social progress of its fifty-four regional member states. For more information: www.AfDB.org

The Agricultural Machinery Summit

The SOMMET is far more than just animals! It also features hundreds of booths dedicated to agricultural equipment of all kinds: tractors, tillage, seeding, spreading, crop treatment, forage harvesting, lifting and handling, trailers, animal feed distribution, animal transport, irrigation, spare parts, tires, and more.

Easybalance and Dragogt, the 2 winners of the Sommets d’Or Awards in the "agricultural machinery" category
12 innovations were distinguished by the very selective
"Sommets d’Or Awards" 2024 competition, including two in the agricultural machinery category.
On the one hand, EASYBALANCE is a unique telescopic load transfer system that allows the wide-width EasyCut R 450 mower to be automatically balanced as soon as it switches to field mode.
 
On the other hand, the DRAGOGT corn picker with a windrower from Olimac SRL, which collects corn and creates a windrow to ensure easy harvesting of residues. The objective: to add value to corn cultivation, by integrating biomethane production with harvest residues.
 
LEARN MORE
 
 
The figure: 29%
This is the percentage of exhibitors in the agricultural machinery sector
present at the SOMMET.
 
 
 
Zoom on... « Equipment Tour »
For the first time, the SOMMET is organizing an "Equipment Tour", a visit to agricultural equipment in operation on a farm to highlight technology and all associated innovations in a real-life situation.
 
For this first edition, visit a biomethane installation
commissioned by AgriKomp!
 
 

2024 Innov'Space award-winners

 

2024 is a record year in terms of awarded stars and special “Judges’ Top Choice” commendations for Innov’Space: 48 innovations have been awarded by the jury. The list of award-winners reflects the diversity of SPACE exhibitors and the challenges in animal farming, including solutions to ensure health safety, improve working conditions, preserve the environment and its natural resources. 

The commitment demonstrated by companies choosing SPACE to showcase their innovations remains very strong, with 117 applications this year.

Innov’Space is a remarkable showcase for innovation for all animal production actors. It is the reference for innovation in agriculture. For the awarded companies, it is a unique recognition of their capacity for innovation and their remarkable level of expertise. They benefit from a visibility and a promotion that make them references for all the participants of the Show, and more widely for the entire animal farming world.

The applications submitted to Innov’Space were carefully examined by a multi-disciplinary jury of 60 members. This jury, independent of SPACE, is consisting of engineers from Chambers of Agriculture, specialists from technical institutions, INRAE (National Institute of Agricultural Research) and INPI (National Institute of Industrial Property), livestock veterinarians, farmers and specialist press journalists. The applications were rigorously examined with the objective of identifying the innovations that offer new functionalities to livestock farmers or sectors. In addition to a solid technical and scientific file, the innovation must benefit to the farmer or the sector in order to be eligible for an award.

Innov'Space, which will celebrate its 30th anniversary in 2025, is an asset to our sector. The winning selection of products, equipment and services demonstrates just how efficient, innovative and creative our sectors are.
Discover the 2024 Innov'Space award-winners
 
 

Find all the descriptions and pictures of the Innov'Space 2024 award-winners in the press section of ​​our website.

See you at Rennes Exhibition Center, in France, from September 17 to 19!

Best regards,

SPACE Team
 
 

More Articles...

  1. Discover the visual of SPACE 2024
  2. 3 things to love about Zerose erythritol
  3. Profit warning at infant-formula group China Feihe
  4. Export To Kenya - 4th Food Kenya 2023