History and track record

AgriInvest originates from a cooperative holding called Cebeco Group of Companies that was established in 1899 in The Netherlands. Cebeco was founded as a second-tier cooperative, owned by local cooperatives. Its initial objective was to buy farm inputs like fertilizer, crop protection chemicals and feed on behalf of the associated local cooperatives. Cebeco was the owner of several prominent Dutch companies like Cebeco International Projects, Aviko (french fries), Rijk Zwaan (vegetable seeds), Plukon (poultry meat), Cefetra (Cebeco Feed Trading), Delta Daily Foods (airline catering), Cebeco Construction (farm buildings) and Cebeco Seeds (grain and grass seed). Total turnover was around EUR 10 bln until the holding was dismantled in 2002 because the main shareholders had grown substantially as a result of a series of mergers. The companies were sold to the shareholders or continued by management buy-out. AgrInvest was a continuation of Cebeco International Projects.

AgrInvest assignments as from 2004: pre-feasibility trajectories, technological and economic assessment, economic modelling and interim management.

  • Pre-feasibility on large ewe lamb meat operation in Dubai with slaughterhouse, including the procurement of feed raw material and processing of meat. Based on an intensive breeding system in a closed environment. Also included the recuperation of water from excrements and the processing of manure into a solid phosphate and liquid nitrogen fertilizer.
  • Strategic plan to create and expand a sourcing base for goat milk in Hungary for a privately owned milk processor in Austria that sources goat milk in Western Europe and is confronted with high transport and procurement costs and therefore needed a plan and economic analyses for alternative sourcing options in Central Europe.
  • Pre-feasibility Burkina Faso, upgrading fruit processing by-streams, mitigating waste production, energy from Cashew processing, sector assessment, partner search, quantification, modelling, assessment economic ratios and sustainability, for NL private investor.
  • A 100,000 dairy goat farm in Vietnam, including arable production of forage and concentrates, breeding program, barns & milking centre design, UHT and milk powder processing plant for private investor, Hanoi area.
  • A 2,000 cow dairy farm, including arable production of forage and concentrates, breeding program, barns & milking centre design, milk processing plant and training and interim management for private investor in Northern Iraq.
  • Pre-feasibility of a 500-ha greenhouse project North of Cairo, Egypt for a Saudi private investor, in cooperation with Dutch greenhouse technology company JB Hydroponics, development of a Greenhouse fertigation and climate control system.
  • Strategic audit for a 100,000 t/yr frozen French fries’ plant in Argentine, commissioned by Rabobank, Atradius and Dutch FMO Bank, supportive to finance.
  • Strategic plan for a large dairy goat farming opportunity in Uzbekistan for a private investor.
  • Strategic assessment vegetable waste stream processing Ireland for private investor, in cooperation with Dutch company.
  • Strategy assessment for Russia’s largest meat producer on lamb meat production of 1 mln lambs per year on 10 farms. Comparing the options of just meat production, meat and milk production and intensive milk production by a dedicated sheep milk breed.
  • Assessment of integrated potato production, handling, storage and chips (crisps) processing line for former President of Madagascar;
  • Audit of a 15,000-cow dairy farm start up in Madagascar, project owned by the former President of Madagascar;
  • Strategic assessment for a broiler integration including slaughterhouse, meat processing and production of concentrates for private company based in Solwezi, Zambia.
  • Strategic analyses of prospects for the Dutch F&A and covered crops sector in Cuba in the light of changing USA-Cuba relations, commissioned by The Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Dutch Embassy in Cuba and the Agricultural Councillor in Mexico;
  • Assessment of the Malanje region in Angola on the technical level of arable and greenhouse farming and processing and identify business and investment opportunities for Dutch F&A companies, commissioned by the Dutch Embassy in Angola and the Agricultural Councillor in South Africa;
  • Strategic assessment of agrifood and greenhouse vegetable sector in Angola, commissioned by the Dutch Embassy in Angola and the Agricultural Councillor in South Africa;
  • Strategic assessment of the agrifood and covered crops sector of Mozambique, commissioned by Dutch Embassies in Maputo and Pretoria;
  • Integrated cassava starch production in South Africa, 6,000 ha of cassava and rotating crops. Processing plant with capacity of 100 t of commercial cassava starch per 24 h, biogas plant, processing water treatment plant, waste water treatment, provisional off-take arrangements with international traders
  • Enhancing sustainability in Large Scale Farming Operations, RaboFarm investment fund, focus on farmland investments in Poland and Rumania. Practical approach to implement production measures that support sustainable primary production on farm land and greenhouse vegetable production to comply with new EU directives and investors CSR, sustainability indicators definition, web-based portal.
  • Potato starch project Ireland for private investor, strategic considerations on production of starch derivatives, glucose refining and protein recovery. Securing additional finance.
  • French fries, potato flakes and starch potato project assessment for Makro Pakistan and House of Habib, overall strategy, raw material sourcing scheme, finance arrangement.
  • Energy Crops on Marginal Land: a Practical Approach, feasibility of producing perennial energy crops on marginal land, not competing with food or feed production for RaboFarm, complying with Farmland Principles and RF CSR, Central Europe;
  • Assessment of an investment by Dubai company in large scale irrigated arable agriculture in Northern Sudan (160,000 ha), Dubai private company.
  • Large scale dairy farm development in North West Turkey, 1,500 dairy cows, assessment, private investor.
  • Develop, assess and implement a plan for Rubchenetska Krasunya dairy goat farm (2,000 dairy goats) with soft cheese processing facility, Kiev, Ukraine.
  • Assess and implement a plan for a large-scale dairy goat farm (15,000 dairy goats) with milk processing in Saudi Arabia.
  • Assess and implement a plan for integrated potato flakes production, extruded potato snacks and fresh potato grading and handling for Egypt company in Egypt.
  • Assessment of the Argentine potato sector, including local seed potato production and processed potatoes. Also included a comparison of the Dutch and Argentine potato production, handling, storage and processing chains, based on yields, cost prices, market prices, timeliness of sales by farmers. Commissioned by the Dutch Ministry of Agriculture and the Netherlands Embassy.
  • Develop, assess and implement an integrated plan for large scale egg production (1 mln layers), handling and processing of eggs into dried and liquid egg products for private company in Argentine.
  • Analyse land markets in South America and Central Europe for an investment fund managed by DKR Capital Inc, Stamford, USA. Focus on land price development as related to commodity prices and on strategic alliances with other investors to invest in processing and handling infrastructure to boost land prices. Update of country assessments after a year.
  • For Société Genérale du Financement de Quebec, Canada: attract Dutch agrifood companies to invest in Quebec, Canada. Analyse and compare several Quebec and Dutch agrifood sectors with the objective to define potential successful opportunities.
  • Assessment of an economic model and business plan for Argentine large-scale potato farmers in the Tandill region in cooperation with McCain French fries in Balcarce to invest in central potato storage, sorting, grading and packing facilities and to improve potato quality.
  • Joint efforts with Dutch energy producer Essent on investments through Essent investment funds (SET, CELP2, CELP3) in large scale agri activities related to energy production: wind mills, chipped and pelletized wood, second generation ethanol and other bio (transport) fuels. Establish take of contracts for chipped and pelletized wood for power plants in Europe.
  • Assessment of the feasibility and associated risks of large-scale integrated pork production in Argentina (60,000 sows) for a leading, family owned company in Argentine crushing and trading company.
  • Aassist in attracting external finance (IFC) for MEDA Paraguay to invest in large scale cassava production and processing into cassava starch and derivatives for the European market. As a result, MEDA has set up four cassava starch processing plants and is currently building a fourth.
  • Advise Dutch agro management software producer Agrovision B.V. on a takeover of a North American software producer, as a result the takeover took place.
  • Strategic assessment of a potato crisps plant in Nevsehir, Turkey for a Dutch investor.
  • Assessment large-scale production of organic goat milk and goat dairy products combined with retail outlet on Bonaire, Netherland Antilles for a group of Dutch investors.
  • Elaborate a strategic plan, plan of implementation and export plan for the Asociacion de Productores de Cebolla del Partido Villarino in Hilario Ascsubi, Patagonia, Argentina to improve production and handling of onions, processing into powdered onion and export of this product to Europe.
  • Assessment of a plan for a joint venture between Dutch flower exporter Disva B.V. and Czech counterpart Delta Flowers s.r.o. in the Czech Republic. The j.v. should include a wholesale and retail flower and pot plants department and sales of inputs for professional flower and plant growers.
  • Large scale production of cassava and a cassava starch processing plant for Kersten B.V., Paramaribo, Surinam. Assist negotiations with local parties for finance and local government for land procurement.

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