Sonoco seeks fresh IFC financing for integrated poultry project in Guinea
The project aims to reduce the country’s dependence on imported frozen chicken.
GUINEA – Société nouvelle de commerce, known as Sonoco and best known as Guinea’s largest flour producer, has submitted a renewed request to the International Finance Corporation for financing to advance an integrated poultry farming project, as confirmed by the World Bank Group member on January 28, 2026.
The IFC said the proposed facility would be an eight-year loan, with the amount not yet disclosed, and disbursement would be subject to approval by the institution’s board of directors in the coming months.
If approved, the investment would be implemented through Fermav Industries, a Sonoco subsidiary focused on vertically integrated poultry production, and would involve building and equipping multiple facilities across several locations in Guinea.
According to information released by the IFC, the plan includes a breeding centre and several poultry houses in the Daboyah district near Kindia, alongside a hatchery fitted with incubators to support chick production at scale.
In addition, a slaughterhouse is scheduled for construction in Massayah, and an animal feed manufacturing plant is planned for Sanoyah, with some infrastructure already close to completion and the remaining units expected to begin operations by March 2027.
Domestic supply gap
The project is being developed against a backdrop of heavy reliance on imported poultry products, with official figures from Guinea’s Ministry of Livestock indicating that local output currently satisfies less than 5 percent of national consumption.
Government authorities have set a target of lifting domestic poultry production to 30% of demand by the end of 2026, a goal that has placed increased attention on private sector investment in industrial-scale farming and processing.
Beyond funding, the IFC said it would provide oversight related to environmental and social risk management, requiring Sonoco to comply with performance standards covering labour practices, food safety, waste handling, biodiversity protection, and traceability in maize and soy sourcing to avoid child labour and habitat conversion.
This request extends a relationship between Sonoco and the IFC that dates back to 2019, when the institution provided US$25 million to support the construction of six grain storage silos in Conakry and the expansion of flour and bouillon production capacity.
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