Egyptian Swiss Group, Bidco Africa explore strategic partnership for regional expansion
The visit resulted in extensive discussions to explore avenues of cooperation that aim to strengthen the presence of both companies’ products in the region.
EGYPT- Egyptian Swiss Group for Pasta, Milling, and Concentrates and Kenya’s Bidco Africa, leading players in the food manufacturing sector in Kenya and Egypt have initiated discussions on a potential strategic partnership.
This collaboration aims to leverage their combined expertise in the food and fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) to bolster their presence in Kenya and facilitate expansion into East and Central African markets.
The talks were held in Cairo during the official visit of Vimal Shah, Chairman of Bidco Africa, to the Egyptian Swiss Group’s headquarters. The visit involved extensive discussions on strengthening trade and industrial cooperation between the two companies.
Engineer Ahmed El Sebaie, General Manager of Egyptian Swiss Group, underscored the importance of the talks, noting that the Group is confident that combining its expertise in pasta and concentrates manufacturing with Bidco Africa’s leadership in FMCG and food sectors will create real value for consumers.
“The visit of Mr. Vimal Shah to our Cairo headquarters reflects the growing strength of industrial relations between Egypt and Kenya. Our discussions with Bidco Africa are part of our strategy to expand into the African continent, with Kenya serving as a vital gateway to East and Central Africa,” said El Sebaie.
For his part, Vimal Shah noted that the potential partnership would accelerate Bidco Africa’s regional ambitions.
“We are proud to build a partnership with a leading Egyptian group that possesses strong industrial and export expertise. Our talks today laid a solid foundation for integrating our capabilities, enabling expansion not only in Kenya but across regional markets. We believe this collaboration will enhance supply chains and improve the competitiveness of our products against global players,” Shah said.
He added that the cooperation aligns with Bidco’s long-term vision of becoming Africa’s largest food exporter by 2030, particularly by leveraging Egyptian Swiss Group’s strengths in pasta and flour production.
Bidco Africa, headquartered in Thika, Kenya, is one of the largest fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) companies in East Africa.
Founded in the 1970s, the company has grown into a regional industrial powerhouse with a portfolio that spans edible oils, soaps, detergents, juices, noodles, and soft drinks. It serves more than 100,000 retail outlets daily, providing 4,500 direct jobs and over 11,000 indirect jobs.
Beyond its consumer products, Bidco has been a key driver of Kenya’s agricultural value chains, sourcing sunflower and soybean from thousands of farmers.
The company has also invested heavily in industrial expansion and sustainability, including bioenergy projects, water recycling, and climate-friendly environmental solutions.
On the other hand, Egyptian Swiss Group, founded in 1995, is a major player in Egypt’s food and milling industries.
With operations in pasta, flour milling, and tomato concentrates, the group runs an integrated industrial system that includes two mills with a combined capacity of 30,000 tons per month, a pasta factory producing 8,000 tons monthly, and a tomato paste facility producing 3,000 tons monthly.
Over 80% of its output is exported to Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, and the United States.
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