Africa Business Communities

Supreme Group acquires 42 per cent stake in Tunisian-based GEPACO SA

Supreme Group (Supreme), a global leader in the provision of end to end supply chain solutions in challenging environments around the world, has recently acquired a 42 per cent stake in GEPACO SA (GEPACO), a Tunisian-based company specializing in the manufacture of food items under the brand Moulin d’Or.

Founded in 1990, GEPACO has grown to become an industry leader with a product range that includes a variety of packaged cakes and breads, as well as baked snacks. The company holds a substantial market share in the cake and cupcake segments, the fastest growing categories within the Tunisian baked goods market.  In addition to its market-leading position in Tunisia, with a strong distribution network consisting of 160 independent distributors reaching over 10,000 points of sale, the company has also successfully developed a significant presence in Libya over the past few years.

“GEPACO has a created a very distinctive business model, deep expertise and a powerful brand that can cross borders,” said Honore Dainhi, President of Supreme Group’s Africa Division. “We are already discussing potential investments in manufacturing plants, new distribution methods, product customization and looking at new strategic business partnerships in selected African countries. This expansion has always been GEPACO’s ambition, and with the support of Supreme, we can now achieve this goal together.”

“This acquisition is a very important step in our African diversification strategy and is a template for our future acquisitions. Our investment focus is on consumer facing businesses in the food and non-alcoholic beverage sectors in Africa. We are serious about our acquisition strategy and we look forward to forming new partnerships with private organizations and making long term investments focused on growth and partnerships,” Dainhi added.

Supreme Group has proudly served defense and government clients around the world for more than 50 years. The company still remains a privately owned entity that has built a unique reputation for outstanding service in challenging environments. Following a strategic review, Supreme embarked on a diversification journey aimed at identifying future growth opportunities in new sectors. Alongside its defense and government services business area, a Commercial Division was formed to focus on new business opportunities in Africa, with a significant acquisition program underway to fast track growth across the region.

“Supreme is more than a financial investor. The company has been operating in Africa for more than 20 years and as such, has developed extensive logistics and operational networks and considerable local market knowledge,” said Souhail Ben Aissa, Founder of GEPACO.

“Supreme has been managing food and beverage supply and distribution on a massive scale for many years; so we will leverage their expertise to further develop the Moulin d’Or brand across the African continent,” concluded Mohamed Ben Rekhis, CEO of GEPACO.

Supreme provides procurement, transportation, storage and full site service solutions, specializing in food supply and fuel supply.  Supreme also recently finalized the acquisition of EMS Seven Seas, a global maritime services group serving merchant marine, offshore and defense customers. The company provides general ship supplies, provisions, stores, spare parts and leading technical maritime brands through its extensive network of 600 ports. Together, Supreme and EMS Seven Seas have offices and operations in 96 countries globally.

 www.supreme-group.net

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