Original content
In 1989, in a port in Nigeria, a young entrepreneur from Singapore loaded the first containers of cashews bound for Asia. Nobody imagined that this shipment would mark the birth of Olam, one of the most influential, and discreet, multinationals in the global food trade. Three decades later, the group moves more than 43 million tons of agricultural products per year and operates 240 industrial plants in 55 countries. With a network of 4.5 million producers and 92,000 employees, Olam has become a key, albeit unseen, piece of the global food chain. Founded by Sunny Verghese, Olam grew rapidly, expanding from Africa to Asia, America, and Europe. Today, it buys, processes, and distributes grains, oils, cocoa, coffee, rice, cotton, and nuts to about 22,000 companies, including major global food and beverage brands. Its model integrates the entire chain, from the field to the shelf, supported by innovation centers and a logistics network that crosses oceans. In 2020, the company decided ...