A global leader in culinary product manufacturing, GBfoods, in partnership with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Kebbi State Government and the Emirate of Yauri recently built a N20 billion Tomato processing factory, in Kebbi State.

The factory is the second largest in Nigeria and the only fully backward integrated plant in Economic Comunity Of West African States, ECOWAS.

The tomato processing factory has the largest single tomatoes farm in Nigeria.

When all phases of the project are finished, the factory will be the largest fresh tomatoes processing factory in Sub-Sahara Africa.

The tomato factory will convert fresh tomatoes into tomato concentrate used for producing Gino Tomatoes Paste and Gino Tomato Pepper Onion Paste while the soya bean will be used to process soya-bean oil which is a critical ingredient for GBfoods’ Bama and Jago Mayonnaise.

The factory is fully backwardly integrated to the company’s farm and dedicated out-growers. In the coming tomatoes season, the plant will also source most of its raw material from out-growers who will grow the tomatoes on their own farms and from GBfoods’ owned and operated farm.

The factory will be engaging over 5,000 smallholder farmers as out-growers, in the coming tomatoes season, to grow fresh tomatoes.

The CEO of GBfoods Africa, Mr Vicenç Bosch, commended the Federal Government for encouraging and supporting GBfoods to engage with CBN, Ministries, Departments and Agencies to ensure the successful completion of the factory.

He also expressed his gratitude to the Federal Ministry of Industry Trade and Investments, Federal Ministry of Agriculture & Rural Development, Kebbi State Government and the Ngaski Local Government Authorities for their tremendous support towards the actualization of the project.

Speaking during the opening of the factory, Mr Vincent Egbe, the Country Manager, GBfoods Nigeria said:

“The commissioning of this processing factory is a great milestone for us. It further demonstrates the company’s commitment towards helping Nigeria achieve its food security ambitions, in this case, of self-sufficiency in tomato concentrate production. We will continue to work with the Federal Government towards food security and local production and processing of fresh tomatoes. The company is dedicated to reducing pre and post-harvest losses, and also developing the value chain so as to improve revenue streams for tomato farmers. Over the past three years,in the three states of Kaduna, Katsina and Kebbi, GBfoods has worked with smallholder out-growers to boost their incomes by providing seedlings, fertilizers, training, and irrigation pumps, further to reduce post-harvest losses GBfoods also provided free plastic crates to farmers.”

“GBfoods is working with the Federal Government of Nigeria and the CBN to make Nigeria not only a shining example in food security, but also to become the food basket of Africa. He especially thanked the Buhari administration, the Kebbi Governor, His Excellency Governor AtikuAbubakarBagudu, the CBN Governor, Mr Godwin Emefiele; and the Emir of Yauri, Dr Muhammad ZayyanuAbdullahi for working tirelessly to create an enabling investment environment for GBfoods backwards integration project in tomatoes,” comments Mr Vincent Egbe, the Country Manager, GBfoods Nigeria.