Sofavin, a subsidiary of the Fobert Group, officially inaugurated its Coca-Cola production plant on February 6, 2025, in Owendo, about 12 miles from Libreville, Gabon. This marks a major milestone for the company, which has been Coca-Cola’s official bottler in Gabon since 2022.

“We’ve invested over CFA20 billion since joining the Coca-Cola network to meet the standards and requirements of Coca-Cola International and boost our production capacity,” said André Lebouama, Deputy Director representing the Fobert Group. These funds have gone toward modernizing the factory and ensuring it meets global production and quality standards. The total cost of these upgrades, announced by Sofavin in 2022, was forecasted to be around $40 million, or roughly CFA25 billion

The project was made possible with the financial backing of two key banks: BGFIBank, a major Gabonese bank, and the Union Gabonaise de Banques (UGB). However, the exact breakdown of the contributions from each bank has not been disclosed by Sofavin. “Their contributions were crucial to the success of this project,” Lebouama added.

Massive Production Capacity

Spanning 40 hectares, the new facility significantly increases Sofavin’s production capabilities. The factory features three state-of-the-art production lines that can produce 5,000 plastic bottles, 32,000 glass bottles, and 15,000 cans per hour. It will manufacture and package Coca-Cola’s flagship beverages, including Coca-Cola, Sprite, Fanta, and Schweppes, in various formats such as returnable glass bottles, plastic bottles, and cans, all while ensuring product safety and quality.

In addition to meeting growing consumer demand, the factory is expected to create 700 direct and indirect jobs in Gabon. A continuous training program has also been implemented to help develop local talent and enhance workforce skills.

Bernard Fokou and his Fobert Group are not stopping with this factory. The company plans to invest an additional CFA15 billion between 2025 and 2026 to further strengthen its infrastructure and better serve the market’s needs.

A New Era for Coca-Cola in Gabon

Fobert Group’s rise in Coca-Cola production marks the end of Sobraga’s 25-year run as Coca-Cola’s local partner in Gabon. In 2022, The Coca-Cola Company ended its partnership with Sobraga, a subsidiary of the French group Castel, as part of a broader shift. The contract for bottling in Cameroon, for example, was awarded to Gracedom Invest, a company owned by Jacqueline Dogmo.

The inauguration ceremony was attended by Brice Oligui Nguéma, Gabon’s transitional president, underscoring the strategic importance of the project for the country. The event also comes on the heels of a turbulent period for the Fobert Group, which faced a public health scandal at the end of 2024 that strained its relations with the Gabonese authorities. But with this new chapter, the company seems poised for a smoother future and a closer partnership with the Gabonese government.

Source: Business in Cameroon