Olam Agri Celebrates 15th Anniversary Of Crown Flour Mill Acquisition

July 27, 2025 Victor Oriola

Lagos, Nigeria – July 2025 – Olam Agri, a global leader in food, feed, and fibre, is celebrating 15 years of transformative impact since its acquisition of Crown Flour Mill (CFM), establishing the company as a trusted name in Nigeria’s wheat milling and pasta industry.

The anniversary celebration, which attracted the crème-de-la-crème in the manufacturing sector, leading government officials, partners and staff members, was held at The Stable, Surulere, Lagos, on Thursday, July 24, 2025.

CFM commenced milling operations in 1981 and since acquiring the business in 2010, Olam Agri has invested and grown to become the leading wheat milling and pasta manufacturer in Nigeria, and one of the leading millers in Africa.

L-R: Abhishek Singh, Vice President & Business Head, Flour Milling Business, Olam Agri; Bolanle Adereti, MD, Bofik Nig Ltd; Deborah Idowu, MD, Femadous Nig Enterprises; Bolaji Anifowose, Vice-President, Commercial, Olam Agri; Nitin Mehta, MD, Wheat Milling Business, Olam Agri; Sarah Orogun, Director, Francoro Enterprises; Moshood Quadri, Head, Industrial Relations and Human Resources, Olam Agri; Bola Adeniyi, GM/Head, Marketing, Olam Agri, and Datti Danjuma, Head of Corporate Affairs and Government Relations, Olam Agri, during 15th anniversary of the acquisition of Crown Flour Mills by Olam Agri held in Lagos on Thursday.

From two manufacturing plants 15 years ago, Olam Agri’s wheat milling and pasta business now operates nine plants across the country producing flour, semolina and pasta, backed by strong freight capabilities and global sourcing expertise.

The company has established itself as a leader in supporting the development of the food and agricultural sector. It has installed the first state-of-the-art premix facility in Nigeria, established extensive backwards integration that has empowered approximately 500 farmers, and partnered with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, the International Centre for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA), the Lake Chad Research Institute (LCRI) and top global crop researchers to promote local wheat production.

The company’s impressive scale in performance earned has earned it major awards and certifications, amongst them the National Productivity Order of Merit Award recognition by the Federal Government, FMDQ Gold Awards recognising the business’s robust operating capacities, and the Food Fortification Award for exemplary commitment to delivering on Micronutrient Fortification Index (MFI). Its commitment to offering a positive and thriving work environment for its employees has also been recognised by the HR People Magazine Awards as the Employer of Choice.

The anniversary provided a platform to celebrate the business achievements, recognise remarkable inputs by high-performing staff members, and acknowledge support from distributors and partners.

Femi Areo, a retail channel member and distribution merchant, spoke about the business impact.

He explained, “I have had the utmost joy in partnering with Olam Agri to distribute its products for these 15 years. It provides me with the right support by producing the best quality products, providing on-time delivery and retail channel value-added services that ensure I can deliver robust sales in our local marketplace. I am grateful for the business. The partnership has improved my income and livelihood.”

Femi Koya, a staff member who had been with the business since the acquisition, said, “This business gave me an invaluable career start. They provide me with a platform to contribute to raising the national food security level, contributing meaningfully to the economy and feeding my family while growing my career at the same time. Congratulations to us.”

Nitin Mehta, Managing Director & Business Head of Olam Agri’s wheat milling and pasta business, emphasised the broader vision behind the business accomplishments in the short time, “Our strong profile of achievements in less than two decades of acquisition underlines our dedication to supporting the government’s New Hope Agenda for food security. The business growth under Olam Agri proves what’s possible with the right vision and investment. We’re building more than a milling operation; we’re building a platform for inclusive development that uplifts employees, empowers partners, and delivers value to families across Nigeria. We remain committed to advancing innovation, nutrition, and access to affordable food.”

Anil Nair, Country Head for Olam Agri, said, “At Olam Agri, we focus on unlocking value for customers, enabling farming communities to prosper sustainably and strive for a food-secure future. With an extensive distribution network for staples and packaged foods across Nigeria, we continue to drive growth in local food production. Our strong performance over the last 15 years is a testament to our commitment to manufacturing excellence and national food security.”

“We are filled with optimism and excitement for the future. We have a clear vision of where we want the business to be within the next decade. This is why we developed a 10-year roadmap for drought-resistant seed development to scale local wheat production. With the continued support of our team, we are confident in our ability to reach new heights.”