Marrakech – Grupo Bimbo, the world’s largest baking company, has strengthened its footprint in Morocco with the acquisition of Joy Food International SARL, a Casablanca-based manufacturer specializing in packaged industrial bread.
The transaction marks a strategic step in the Mexican group’s expansion across North Africa and reinforces Morocco’s role as a regional agri-food hub.
The acquisition, approved by Morocco’s Competition Council and announced in early January 2026, is being carried out through Bakery Iberian Investments S.L., Grupo Bimbo’s wholly owned Spanish subsidiary.
Under the agreement, Bimbo will acquire 100% of Joy Food International’s share capital and voting rights.
Located in Casablanca’s Lissasfa industrial zone, Joy Food International is a key player in Morocco’s industrial bread segment, supplying major retail chains as well as the foodservice sector nationwide.
Its established distribution network and modern production infrastructure provide Bimbo with immediate scale and operational expertise in the local market.
The move positions Grupo Bimbo to capitalize on Morocco’s rising demand for convenient, packaged baked goods, driven by rapid urbanization, changing consumption habits, and the expansion of modern retail.
It also enables the group to progressively introduce its global portfolio of brands, including Bimbo, Marinela, and Barcel, adapted to local tastes and consumption patterns.
Joy Food has recently invested in capacity upgrades, notably in May 2025 with the installation of a high-capacity CPE-800 tortilla production line capable of producing up to 1,300 units per hour.
The modernization was supported by financing from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), further enhancing the company’s industrial capabilities.
The transaction follows a broader trend of Spanish-Moroccan agri-food investments, echoing recent deals such as Adam Foods’ acquisition of biscuit manufacturer Biscoland, and highlighting deepening economic cooperation between the two countries.
For Grupo Bimbo, the acquisition serves as a strategic gateway into Africa, a continent increasingly viewed as a long-term growth market for bakery and packaged food products.
The group already operates manufacturing facilities in Morocco, Tunisia, and South Africa, and this latest deal consolidates its North African platform.
Bimbo has been present in Morocco since 2017, following its acquisition of local baked goods producer Groupe Adghal.
Regionally, the group expanded further in April 2024 with the purchase of Tunisia’s Moulin d’Or, a leading sweet baked goods manufacturer.
The deal also emphasizes Morocco’s attractiveness as a top investment destination in Africa, supported by a stable macroeconomic environment, strong industrial infrastructure, and a strategic geographic position connecting Europe, North Africa, and the Mediterranean basin.
