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.