French company Malteries Soufflet Bulgarie launched a EUR 56 million investment project for a new malt plant here. When finished, the new facility will double the company's production capacity in Bulgaria to 60,000 tonnes of malt a year.
"An investment of this scale is a very strong sign of the business climate in the country and a positive signal that Bulgaria has all the conditions to be home to companies of this rank," said Bulgarian Minister of Economy and Industry Nikola Stoyanov, who attended the ground-breaking ceremony. In his words, the project will implement last-generation innovations. "Another important fact is that the investor's future plans target predominantly the local market," the Economy Minister added. He explained that with the increase in production, the company will fully meet Bulgarian breweries' demand and will open up extra opportunities for increasing the exports to neighboring countries.
Minister Stoyanov stressed that the region needs new jobs, so the company's plans to use Bulgarian contractors during the construction is a good news, too.
The Economy Minister commented also on the bilateral economic relations with France. It is among Bulgaria's leading trading partners and ranks as the 6th largest Bulgarian export market. In 2022, the two-way trade was valued at EUR 2.6 billion, and the stock of French investments in this country reached EUR 1.2 billion. "Behind these figures are projects that create more than 15,000 jobs and guarantee the economic exchange between the two countries," Stoyanov said.
He also announced the holding of a Bulgarian-French business forum in Paris.
The event was attended by Guillaume Couture of the Soufflet Group, Malteries Soufflet Bulgarie Director Clement Gravrault, and French Ambassador in Sofia Joel Meyer, among others.
Ambassador Meyer recalled that during his first meeting with President Rumen Radev, the head of State told him that he expected more French investments in Bulgaria. "I am happy that I can present many good examples to the Bulgarian President. This investment is a showcase, a great example of cooperation between our two countries. It not only develops the Soufflet Group, it not only creates jobs, including the skilled labour, but also strengthens the whole ecosystem, which means farmers, end consumers, brewers and the whole region in general," he said. He added that "the Bulgarian authorities always listen to businesses".