• Omer-Decugis & Cie acquired 100% of Côte d’Ivoire–based Vergers du Bandama.

• Vergers du Bandama exports more than 1,500 tonnes of fresh mangoes annually with major global certifications.

• Omer-Decugis & Cie exported 13,500 tonnes of African mangoes in 2025, representing about 30% of the European market.

French fresh-produce group Omer-Decugis & Cie announced on 4 December that it acquired 100% of Vergers du Bandama, an Ivorian company active in mango production, packing and export. The group financed the deal with internal funds.

The transaction strengthens the group’s production footprint in West Africa. Through its subsidiary SIIM, the French company had already established itself as a major mango player in the region with operations in Mali, Burkina Faso and Senegal.

Vincent Omer-Decugis, CEO of Omer-Decugis & Cie, says: “The acquisition of Vergers du Bandama, one of Côte d’Ivoire’s best-performing export companies, strengthens our position in African mangoes and consolidates our presence in West Africa. This operation aligns fully with our strategy to control upstream activities in our value chain, particularly in the West African mango sector.”

Created in 2010, Vergers du Bandama exports more than 1,500 tonnes of fresh mangoes each year to France and other European markets. The company holds key international certifications (Global G.A.P, Rainforest Alliance and Amfori BSCI Level A) that facilitate access to European distributors requiring strict standards on quality, traceability and social responsibility.

In 2025, Omer-Decugis & Cie exported more than 13,500 tonnes of African mangoes, claiming around 30% of the European market. The integration of Vergers du Bandama into its production base suggests an ambition to increase exports to Europe from Côte d’Ivoire, where the sector’s potential remains largely underexploited.

A 2022 International Trade Centre (ITC) study on the West African market shows that only 26% of Côte d’Ivoire’s mango output—then estimated at 150,000 tonnes—was sold fresh. About 10% was consumed locally, while less than 1% underwent industrial processing. The majority of production therefore remained unvalued.

Industry actors interviewed by Ecofin Agency in April say the country exported 32,000 tonnes of mangoes to Europe in 2024 from a total output estimated at 180,000 tonnes.

This article was initially published in French by Stéphanas Assocle

Adapted in English by Ange Jason Quenum