Food manufacturing giant, BUA Foods Plc has signed an agreement with an Italian company, FAVA to increase its pasta production capacity from 400,000 tonnes to 900,000 tonnes yearly.
According to the company’s Director of Marketing and Corporate communications, Adewunmi Desalu, the expansion will include the addition of nine lines of long-cut pasta expected to increase the company’s pasta production by 400,000 metric tonnes.
In a statement, the company said, “In line with its strategic roadmap, and unwavering commitment towards contributing to food security in Nigeria, BUA Foods Plc (BUA Foods or the Company) has announced a planned significant expansion of its pasta production facility after signing an agreement with FAVA (Italy), one of the world’s leading pasta equipment.”
The new project, which serves as one of several efforts aimed at mitigating food supply challenges in the country, BUA noted, “will result in the addition of nine lines of long-cut pasta (6,000 kgs/hr) thereby increasing the company’s annual production capacity by 400,000Tonnes to 900,000MTpa, making it one of the leading pasta producers in Africa.”
To support the expansion project, a complimentary agreement was also signed with Martini (Italy) to supply packaging equipment.
The company disclosed it also signed a deal with a Turkish firm to increase BUA Food’s grain storage capacity to 100,000 tonnes.
Abdul Rabiu, Bua Foods Chairman stated that the company’s manufacturing capacity expansion would enable it to extend their production capabilities and contribute to addressing ongoing food shortages in the country.