Spanish food company GB Foods has acquired 2,428 hectares in the Afram Plains of Ghana’s Eastern Region to grow industrial tomatoes for its local processing operations, the Ministry of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry announced on February 17.
The land will supply GB Foods Ghana, the company’s local subsidiary, supporting its tomato processing plant in Tema, which opened in 2023 at a cost of US$5 million. The facility produces the company’s flagship tomato concentrate brands, “Gino” and “Pomo”, for the domestic market.
“For us, this is about developing the industry where we operate. It is not about importing; it is about building local capacity,” said Vicenç Bosch, CEO of GB Foods Africa.
The investment represents one of the company’s largest farming operations in West Africa and reflects a strategy to strengthen its raw material supply chain, reducing reliance on imports. Ghana has imported an average of 54,361 metric tons of tomato paste annually between 2020 and 2024, costing roughly US$54.4 million per year, with imports peaking at US$85.4 million in 2024, according to FAO data.
By increasing local tomato concentrate production, GB Foods aims to expand its market share in Ghana while gradually replacing imported tomato paste, enhancing domestic capacity in the fast-moving consumer goods sector.
The company did not disclose the cost or operational details of the Afram Plains project, but officials said it will focus on industrial tomato cultivation to secure a steady supply for the Tema plant and support the growth of Ghana’s tomato processing industry.
Ghana’s tomato sector is a vital part of its agribusiness and food processing industry. Tomatoes are widely consumed across the country, not only as fresh produce but also in processed forms such as tomato paste and concentrates, which are essential ingredients in local cooking and commercial food production.
Despite strong domestic demand, Ghana has historically relied heavily on tomato paste imports, with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) reporting an average of 54,361 metric tons imported annually between 2020 and 2024. The associated import costs averaged US$54.4 million per year, peaking at US$85.4 million in 2024, highlighting the economic impact of the reliance on foreign supplies. Imported paste comes mainly from countries with more advanced tomato processing infrastructure, exposing Ghana to global price fluctuations and supply chain disruptions.
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GB Foods, a Spanish multinational focused on fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG), operates across Africa, producing and marketing household food products. In Ghana, the company established a tomato processing plant in Tema in 2023, costing US$5 million, to produce its local brands “Gino” and “Pomo”. The plant was part of a broader strategy to strengthen local production capacity and reduce dependency on imports, aligning with Ghana’s goals to expand agribusiness and food manufacturing.
The company’s acquisition of 2,428 hectares in the Afram Plains, one of Ghana’s fertile agricultural regions, represents a significant expansion of its farming operations in West Africa. The Afram Plains’ climate and soil conditions are well-suited for industrial tomato cultivation, offering a stable supply of raw materials for processing.
This move also reflects broader trends in Ghana’s agricultural sector, where multinational and local companies are increasingly investing in vertical integration, combining production, processing, and distribution to improve efficiency, reduce costs, and strengthen domestic supply chains. By cultivating tomatoes locally, GB Foods aims to enhance supply security, stabilize production costs, and expand its market share in the growing Ghanaian tomato paste sector.
In addition, the project contributes to Ghana’s broader food security objectives by reducing dependence on imports, creating employment opportunities in farming and processing, and building capacity in the agribusiness sector. Analysts note that as local processing capabilities improve, Ghana could gradually replace a significant portion of imported tomato paste, retaining more value within the domestic economy and fostering sustainable growth in the food industry.
