Congo to Launch First Ethanol Distillery

Agro-industrial company Somdia, a subsidiary of the Castel Group, will inaugurate its first ethanol distillery in Nkayi, Republic of Congo in June. With a daily production capacity of 50 m³—equivalent to over 6 million litres annually—the facility will fully meet the country’s ethanol demand, currently estimated at 5.5 million liters per year.

The distillery will process 25,000 tons of molasses, a by-product of sugar refining, into food-grade ethanol. The ethanol will be produced from molasses supplied by Saris Congo, Somdia’s sugar subsidiary. The alcohol will mainly serve the beverage industry, including Castel Group, while reducing imports and securing domestic supply.

This marks a step forward in Somdia’s strategy to convert agricultural residues into local energy solutions.

The project, which began in 2023, represents a €23 million investment over two years and involves industrial partners such as Praj, Congo Contracting and Ponticelli. It is timed to coincide with the launch of the annual sugarcane harvest.

“This is a major milestone for Somdia, Saris and our teams, whose commitment allowed us to overcome technical and human challenges to bring this project to life,” said Olivier Parent, CEO, Somdia. “It reflects our ambition to transform local resources and contribute to the economic development of the countries where we operate.”