KEY POINTS
- Cadyst Group acquires Grands Moulins du Cameroun and Grands Moulins du Congo.
- Regional banks back Tawamba’s expansion in flour and feed production.
- Integration of seven sites strengthens Cadyst’s CEMAC market presence.
Cameroonian businessman Célestin Tawamba has expanded his business in Central Africa by buying Grands Moulins du Cameroun and Grands Moulins du Congo, two well-known milling operations that used to be held by the SOMDIA Group.
Cadyst Group, Tawamba’s rapidly expanding agri-food conglomerate, owns the acquisitions. They make the company stronger in the manufacture of flour and animal feed.
Cadyst’s growth plan is backed by regional banks
Five regional banks helped with the deal by giving money, and other lenders in Central Africa did too. The deal reflects confidence in Tawamba’s operational track record and his ability to scale businesses in a sector critical to regional food security.
Tawamba, who announced the acquisitions in August, said the focus extends beyond production. “What matters most are the people joining us their work, their knowledge, and their commitment. They are the ones who make our growth possible,” he also said.
Cadyst builds stronger hold on food chain
Founded in 2002 with La Pasta, a small flour and pasta production unit, Cadyst Group has grown steadily over two decades. Its operations now span:
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Flour milling under Cadyst Grain
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Pasta and biscuit production under PANZANI
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Retail distribution through Cadyst Retail
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Healthcare and poultry farming via Cadyst Farming
With five factories in Cameroon, including a site in Kribi, and 10 logistics centers nationwide, the group employs over 1,300 staff. Adding the SOMDIA units brings Cadyst to seven industrial sites and more than 1,500 employees, reinforcing both upstream and downstream supply chains from milling and feed production to finished consumer goods.
Integration is ready to help the company grow in the market
Furthermore, the businesses that have just merged are working together to make things easier, share technological information, and boost production.
According to Billionaires, Observers say the move should enhance product availability and stabilize prices in the CEMAC market, where food supply remains sensitive.
For Tawamba, who ranks among Cameroon’s top businessmen, the acquisitions reflect a long-term strategy: creating a regional food group capable of serving households affordably while maintaining production close to communities.
