• Acquisition to drive significant scale and synergies, increasing Invictus Investment’s consolidated revenues by over AED 1 billion per annum, while accelerating investments and trading expansion, with EBITDA projected to more than double in 2025.
  • Merec Industries operates the largest flour milling and food production operations in Mozambique with a processing capacity of approximately 1.0 million MT per annum, and over 145,000 MT of grain storage capacity.
  • The transaction marks Invictus Investment’s second major acquisition in Africa, following the purchase of 60% stake in Moroccan grain trader Graderco and its subsidiaries from Zalar Holding.

Dubai, United Arab Emirates:  Invictus Investment Company Plc (ADX: INVICTUS), a leading agro-food enterprise in the Middle East and Africa, today announced it has completed the acquisition of Merec Industries, Mozambique’s largest flour milling company. The deal was made through the purchase of Merec Industries’ holding entity, Stratton Africa Holdings Limited, Mauritius, from current shareholders Amethis Fund II and Merec Financial.

Merec Industries is a market leader with strategically located mills, production facilities and silos, along with a strong portfolio of leading food brands. The company operates state-of-the-art milling facilities with a total production capacity of more than 800,000 MT of wheat and corn flour per annum. It also has processing facilities for over 180,000 MT of pasta, biscuits and animal feed per annum, as well as grain silos with a total storage capacity of more than 145,000 MT. The company’s assets are strategically located in Beira, Maputo and Nacala to comprehensively cover demand in Mozambique and neighbouring countries. It also owns a grain terminal at the port of Maputo.

“The acquisition is expected to add significant scale and synergies between the two companies, increasing our consolidated revenues by over AED 1 billion (USD 272 million) per annum. It will also accelerate other investments and the expansion of our trading activities, fuelling substantial EBITDA growth, which is projected to more than double in 2025”, said Amir Daoud Abdellatif, CEO of Invictus Investment.  

“This move contributes to our long-term strategy to expand our agro-food business in high-potential African markets, develop new strategic partnerships and build on our operational capabilities in the midstream and downstream segments. It also brings us a step closer to our goal of becoming a fully integrated agro-food enterprise in the Middle East and Africa and achieving AED 25 billion (USD 6.8 billion) in revenue by 2028. With a focus on key staples in the agricultural sector and food industry, the transaction is expected to positively impact food security and economic growth in Mozambique by supporting job creation and driving export growth.”

With a population of over 34 million, growing at nearly 3% annually, Mozambique is an attractive growth market for wheat-based products, where Invictus Investment expects a projected CAGR of 6% in demand from 2022 to 2027, driven by population growth, urbanisation and rising incomes. The pasta market is also expected to offer additional avenues for business growth, with a forecasted CAGR of 9.5%, driven by evolving dietary preferences over time.

Jean Sébastien, Senior Partner at Amethis Fund II, said: “We are pleased to announce the sale of our Merec shareholding to Invictus Investment. Our partnership with Merec has seen it establish a strong market position and brand portfolio by consistently delivering high-quality products. Merec’s growth in its core wheat milling business and diversification into wheat value-addition has significantly contributed to job creation and has improved Mozambique’s food security to the benefit of millions of Mozambican consumers all over the country – a core pillar to Amethis’ investment strategy. We are confident that Invictus Investment will further enhance Merec’s growth by improving efficiency, product quality and seizing new opportunities. With Merec’s local expertise and Invictus Investment’s global capabilities, we are certain that the business will reach new heights.”

The acquisition of Merec Industries is Invictus Investment’s second major transaction in Africa, following the purchase of a 60% stake in Graderco, Morocco’s leading grains trading company, and its subsidiaries from Zalar Holding. Invictus Investment remains focused on exploring further acquisition opportunities, developing new joint ventures in strategic markets, and continuing its investments across key African markets.

*Please refer to https://invictusinvestment.ae/investor-relations/ for more information.

About Invictus Investment

Invictus Investment Company PLC, established in March 2022 and headquartered in Dubai, is a leading holding entity primarily focusing on agro-food commodities through its main subsidiary, Invictus Trading FZE, founded in February 2014. Initially offering procurement services that supplied raw materials and finished goods such as wheat in the MENA region, the company has since expanded its commodity portfolio to include a diverse range of products such as barley, corn, cotton, Distiller’s Dried Grains with Solubles (DDGS), fertilisers, groundnuts, meat, sesame, soya bean, soya bean hulls, soya bean meal, sugar, vegetable oil and wheat flour. Today, Invictus Investment operates across 54 countries with a broad sourcing network and a focus on midstream and downstream acquisitions in the value chain, with the aim of becoming a fully integrated agro-food enterprise in the commodity trading sector across the Middle East and Africa.

For media inquiries, please contact:
Raneem Abudaqqa
Senior Consultant | Tales & Heads
E: Raneem.Abudaqqa@talesandheads.com    
M: +971 (50) 694 4650