TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, February 24. The European
Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) plans to provide a
financial package of up to 6 million euros to support ABN-MB Group,
a major operator of coffee shops and restaurants in Uzbekistan,
Trend reports via the
EBRD.
The financing will be allocated towards the acquisition of
specialized food-production equipment and the construction of a new
production and warehousing facility. Upon completion, the project
is expected to significantly increase the Group's centralized
food-production capacity, potentially doubling its current
output.
This investment is expected to enhance overall operational
efficiency and decrease dependency on imported goods, as the
company aims to further localize key food-production processes.
Additional support for the expansion will be provided through
blended concessional finance of up to 70,000 euros, made available
through the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development's
(EBRD) Finance and Technology Transfer Centre for Climate Change
(FINTECC) programme. This initiative encourages businesses to adopt
environmentally sustainable technologies.
The ABN-MB Group intends to utilize the FINTECC funding for the
procurement of energy-efficient equipment, insulation materials,
and the installation of solar panels.
Meanwhile, the EBRD has invested nearly $6.9 billion in
Uzbekistan through 205 projects to date, with the majority of
funding directed toward private sector development. Uzbekistan has
remained the largest recipient of EBRD investment in Central Asia
over the past six years.
