ECOM Agroindustrial

Debt : April 2025

BIO has granted a USD 10 M loan to ECOM Agroindustrial, one of the largest merchants of coffee, cocoa, cotton and nuts worldwide.

Amount

$ 15,000,000.00

Type of investment

Debt

Development impacts

Local economic growth
Food security & rural development

Beneficiary locations

Africa: Côte d'Ivoire

Investment field

Enterprises

Organisation

ECOM Agroindustrial

Website

https://www.ecomtrading.com/

Domicile

Ivory Coast

ECOM was founded in 1849 by the Spanish Esteve family, with still some operational involvement from different branches and members of the family. Company headquarters are based in Switzerland, with over 40 countries of operations (31 with a local presence) and 6,000 employees, with 4,500 in origin countries, out of which 1,500 are field officers. ECOM sources from 450,000+ farmers in direct supply chains (of which approximately 10% received access to ECOM financing). In 2023, ECOM significantly advanced its sustainability initiatives by achieving 100% traceability in its origin-sourced cocoa supply chains, planting over 1 million trees, training 320,000 farmers, establishing a living income framework, launching carbon solutions and a supply chain due diligence policy, and developing a deforestation detection solution. BIO’s contribution will focus solely on cocoa operations in Ivory Coast.

Development impacts

Local economic growth

The global agricultural commodities trade, particularly in cocoa and coffee, plays a vital economic role in producer countries, exemplified by ECOM's significant operations across 40+ countries. In Côte d'Ivoire, cocoa represents 10-15% of GDP and 40% of export earnings, supporting one-fifth of the population's livelihood. ECOM employs over 12,000 workers (6,000 permanent, 6,000 temporary) globally, with cocoa operations specifically engaging 2,200 workers. Of these, over 1,900 specialize in sustainability initiatives and agronomic support, including 199 workers in Côte d'Ivoire, demonstrating the sector's substantial contribution to both direct employment and agricultural development.

Food security & rural development

ECOM maintains extensive sourcing networks in Côte d'Ivoire, directly engaging with 400,000 farmers (96% smallholders) through Zamacom and partner suppliers, with only 17% of volume lacking direct oversight. Their sustainable sourcing has increased significantly, with 50% of cocoa volumes certified sustainable in 2023 (up from 42% in 2022). The company provides comprehensive farmer support, with 98% of origin-sourced farmers accessing services like agricultural training (80% participation), agroforestry programs (52%), and climate-smart practices (35%). Through these initiatives, ECOM connects farmers to premium markets while improving productivity, quality, and traceability throughout the supply chain.