Kate Fotso plans US$28.3M brewery investment in Cameroon to diversify beyond cocoa
Kate Fotso moves beyond cocoa with a $28.3M brewery investment in Cameroon, signaling diversification amid declining export volumes in her flagship Telcar Cocoa business.
CAMEROON – Kate Fotso, widely regarded as the wealthiest woman in Cameroon, is reportedly planning a $28.3 million (17 billion FCFA) investment in a new brewery project, marking a significant diversification from her long-standing dominance in the cocoa sector.
According to reports, the facility will be constructed in Souza, located in the Littoral region. The project is expected to rank among the most notable private industrial investments in Cameroon in recent years. However, no official timeline for completion or details regarding the brewery’s product portfolio have been disclosed.
Fotso is best known as the founder and chief executive officer of Telcar Cocoa, a company that has played a central role in Cameroon’s cocoa export industry for over two decades.
Through Telcar Cocoa, she built a strong position in one of the country’s key foreign exchange-generating sectors.
At its peak, Telcar Cocoa controlled nearly 35% of Cameroon’s total cocoa exports, making it the largest cocoa trading company in the country. The company supplied cocoa beans to major chocolate manufacturers across Europe, North America, and Asia, placing it at the centre of global cocoa supply chains.
During the 2023–2024 cocoa campaign, Telcar Cocoa handled more than 100,000 tonnes of cocoa beans, accounting for approximately 35% of national exports. However, more recent data indicate a sharp decline in performance.
In the 2024–2025 season, shipments fell to around 32,406 tonnes, reducing its market share to about 10.4%.
This drop in volume has seen Telcar lose its position as Cameroon’s leading cocoa exporter to competitors such as SIC Cacaos and Sbet, reflecting a broader shift within the country’s cocoa trade landscape.
The planned brewery investment is not Fotso’s first move outside cocoa. In September 2023, she established Bridge Riviera Development and Hospitalities Plc (BRDH), a company based in Douala.
The firm focuses on luxury hotels, real estate development, and hospitality services, although no opening dates for specific projects have been announced.
The Souza brewery project signals a continued expansion into new sectors as Fotso broadens her business portfolio.
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