Anouar Invest Group officially launched Wednesday the AYA (Anouar Yieldest Additives) industrial project, a major investment worth MAD 480 million in the agro-industrial and biotechnology sector, located in the Jorf Lasfar industrial zone (El Jadida province).
The launch ceremony was attended by Minister of Industry and Trade Ryad Mezzour, Minister of Agriculture, Maritime Fisheries, Rural Development, Water and Forests Ahmed El Bouari, Minister Delegate to the Head of Government, in charge of Investment, Convergence and Evaluation of Public Policies, Karim Zidane, Secretary of State for Foreign Trade Omar Hejira, Governor of the Province of El Jadida Mhamed Atfaoui, and Chairman, Chief Executive Officer of Anouar Invest El Hachmi Boutgueray.
In a presentation on this occasion, AYA CEO Saad Bennani indicated that the plant will produce three strategic product lines , namely fresh yeast, dry yeast, and bakingimprovers.
Designed with a large-scale annual production capacity, the project is expected to deliver 25,000 tons, with the potential to reach 58,000 tons at full expansion.
True to its national commitment, Anouar Invest will prioritize local sourcing, with 95% of raw materials supplied from Morocco, thereby strengthening the country’s industrial sovereignty.
Covering an area of 7.1 hectares, including 28,700 m² of built space across three levels, the plant is expected to create over 500 direct and indirect jobs, Bennani said, adding that it was designed as a green project, with the installation of a water treatment plant that complies with national and international standards.
The installed electrical power will be 14 MW, 40% of which will come from green electricity production, significantly reduceing the carbon footprint of the AYA site.
“Through this project, we are reaching a new milestone in the diversification and modernization of the Anouar Invest group,” Anouar Invest CEO Boutgueray said.
“Our ambition is to build a leading national and regional player in the baking improver yeast industry, combining industrial excellence, biotechnological innovation, and sustainability,” he noted, emphasizing that AYA is designed as a forward-looking project capable of creating added value and skilled jobs for the Kingdom.
At the ceremony, a partnership agreement was signed between the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Ministry of Agriculture, Maritime Fisheries, Rural Development, Water and Forests, the Ministry of Investment, Convergence and Public Policy Evaluation, the Secretariat of State for Foreign Trade, and the Anouar Invest Group, demonstrating their shared commitment to the success of this structuring project and its integration into the Kingdom's strategic orientations.
This project falls fully in line with the vision of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, who sees productive investment as an essential lever for reviving the national economy and anchoring Morocco in promising sectors, and is in line with the Royal ambition by contributing to the Kingdom's industrial diversification, strengthening its food sovereignty, and positioning it in innovative, high value-added sectors.
This initiative confirms the Anouar Invest Group's ambition to enshrine Morocco's role as a regional hub and establish the country as a leading player in the field of biotechnology applied to agribusiness. The AYA unit aims to meet the growing market demand for yeast and baking improvers, but also to contribute to Morocco's international growth by exporting 30% of its production.
This project represents a major step forward in the valorization of agricultural products. The main raw material used in the yeast production process is molasses. Molasses is obtained after extracting sugar from sugar beets and sugar cane. Thanks to this project, molasses is given a second life: it becomes a strategic raw material in the production process, contributing to a more sustainable circular economy. This transformation both reduces agricultural waste and creates added value from a product previously considered a residual.
The project schedule reflects a planned and ambitious approach. Following the acquisition of the land and the completion of technical studies in 2022, as well as the signing of the investment agreement in February 2025, construction will begin in September 2025. Production is scheduled to begin in mid-2027, followed by a second phase of expansion in 2029, which will strengthen AYA's industrial capacity and international presence.
The total investment for this project, amounting to MAD 480 million, was financed by CDG Capital, the lead investor, in consortium with CIH Bank. It reflects the Anouar Invest group's commitment to building a state-of-the-art industrial infrastructure, while achieving a local integration rate of 60% of the investment.
MAP: 11 September 2025
