Kyiv, Ukraine, June 7, 2017
— IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, is
providing its first loan in local currency, the hryvnia, to boost Ukraine’s retail sector, support growth and create jobs.
IFC will provide an eight-year loan worth around 400 million hryvnias (about $15 million) to help Auchan Retail finance its long-term investments in Ukraine to support the development of local supply chains and to help enhance standards in the domestic retail market.
“This is a landmark transaction for our local currency program in Ukraine,” said Jason Pellmar, IFC’s regional head for Ukraine and Belarus. “We are now ready to roll out customized, local currency products to Ukrainian clients in various sectors and to extend the maturities of hryvnia financing. We deem this vital to modernize the economy and to support growth.”
“IFC’s new investment will help us mitigate foreign currency risks. It is also a strong boost to the retail sector in Ukraine, as we continue to work together on food safety and help open new opportunities for smaller producers,” said Michel Larivière, financial director of Auchan Retail Ukraine.
IFC has been a partner of Auchan in Ukraine since 2013, when it provided a $30 million loan to the company as part of broader effort to develop food retail. Besides financing, IFC’s food safety advisory team also trained and coached over 30 of the company’s SME suppliers in meat, dairy, fish, egg, bakery, and prepared food categories.
IFC is a leading international investor in Ukraine’s private sector. Its strategy in Ukraine includes supporting the agribusiness sector across the value chain, investing in the financial sector, and developing viable infrastructure projects. Improving the business environment and promoting energy efficiency are also a key part of IFC’s strategy.
About Auchan Retail
Auchan Retail is a part of an unlisted Holding, combining family and employee shareholders. Auchan Holding is organized into 3 main firms: - Auchan Retail, which groups together in all countries the existing food retail channels: hypermarkets, convenience stores and e-commerce, - Immochan and - Oney Banque. The role of Auchan Retail is to improve the purchasing power and the quality of life of the greatest number of customers, with responsible, professional, committed and respected employees in all 16 countries of its presence.
About IFC
IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, is the largest global development institution focused on the private sector in emerging markets. Working with more than 2,000 businesses worldwide, we use our capital, expertise, and influence to create markets and opportunities in the toughest areas of the world. In FY16, we delivered a record $19 billion in long-term financing for developing countries, leveraging the power of the private sector to help end poverty and boost shared prosperity. For more information, visit
www.ifc.org
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