Largest Cashew Processor in Africa Begins Operations in Ghana
Ghana has recently become home to the largest and most automatized processing facility in Africa, known as the Usibras group. Originally founded in 1979, the Usibras group is one of Brazil’s leading cashew businesses, with two fully operating factories in Brazil. Since being introduced to the African market by ACA in 2008, Usibras has gradually become involved in business across the continent, exporting raw cashew nuts from Ghana, Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, and Burkina Faso. The majority of their products are consumed by the United States and Europe.
Usibras began building the processing plant in 2013 and finalized the expansion in 2015. At the factory, located in Tema, Ghana, they have already employed over 300 workers and have invested over US$ 15 million. They expect to employ over 800 people when they are running production at full capacity. As an ACA member and one of Brazil’s leading cashew businesses, the ACA Secretariat welcomes their arrival in Ghana as an extremely positive development for the local cashew economy. Usibras expects to have a substantial impact in the community through the purchase of raw materials and employment opportunities.
On November 30th, 2015 ACA Business Advisory and Communications staff visited Usibras’ cashew processing factory in Tema, located just outside Accra. The company’s general manager is Mr. Tarciso Falcao. The ACA team was given a tour by Factory Manager, Mr. Antonio Raposo Caramelo in order to observe the food safety and product quality practices and to learn about the machines being used in the factory. In a follow-up interview with Managing Director, Mr. Guillermo Luis Assis, he noted that key challenges of training staff and managing Ghana’s erratic power supply remain a factor in the company’s development. Usibras has been a member of ACA since 2010 and has enjoyed the support given through the partnership. Mr. Guillermo Luis Assis commented that ACA’s network “gave them the trust to invest here in Africa.” ACA looks forward to working more with Usibras in the future and congratulated them on their successful start-up.
