Touton secures $50 million facility for cocoa purchases across four African origins

Revolving line targets cocoa procurement

French commodity trader Touton S.A. has obtained a $50 million trade finance facility from Banque Internationale de Commerce-BRED in Switzerland to support exports of traceable cocoa sourced in Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Cameroon and Nigeria, according to documents reviewed by EcoMatin.

The facility is structured as an uncommitted transactional revolving line. It is intended to provide the short-term liquidity Touton needs to buy cocoa beans in Africa. The financing should also support smallholder access to the cocoa market and strengthen working-capital funding across the supply chain.

Touton purchases about 350,000 tonnes of cocoa annually and says it handles close to 8% of global bean trade. The scale of those operations creates substantial cash requirements between purchasing beans from farmers and intermediaries, storing the crop and receiving payment after export.

IFC may share Nigerian transaction risk

Touton is seeking support from the International Finance Corporation, the World Bank Group’s private-sector arm, to cover part of the credit line. Project documents indicate that the IFC would provide an unfunded risk participation of up to €10 million, including coverage for commercial transactions in Nigeria.

The mechanism would reduce the Swiss bank’s exposure while preserving its capacity to finance cocoa trade in African markets. The project was disclosed on September 22 and remains subject to approval by the IFC board, which is scheduled to consider it on October 22.

The new facility follows a larger bilateral financing arranged in May 2026. Société Générale provided Touton with €150 million to fund the procurement and export of traceable African cocoa, with priority given to beans from Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana and Cameroon. That transaction included an unfunded IFC risk participation of €50 million.

Large positions in Côte d’Ivoire and Cameroon

EcoMatin reports that US commodities group Hartree Partners acquired Touton in April 2026. Touton retains significant sourcing positions across Africa’s principal cocoa-producing regions. In Côte d’Ivoire, the world’s largest origin, the trader reportedly purchased about 75,000 tonnes during the 2024/2025 season.

In Cameroon, Touton bought 17,581 tonnes of beans in 2024/2025, representing 9.16% of volumes recorded by the National Cocoa and Coffee Board. That placed the company third behind Olam and Cargill. Its share of purchases increased to 11.4% in the 2025/2026 season.

The two facilities secured in 2026 show how financing capacity underpins competition among major cocoa traders. Buyers need liquidity when beans enter the market, while revenue arrives only after storage, shipment and settlement. Risk-sharing by the IFC can therefore help commercial banks maintain credit availability in producing countries where transaction and counterparty exposure may otherwise constrain funding.

For farmers and local intermediaries, the practical effect will depend on how quickly the line translates into purchases and whether competition among buyers remains strong. For Touton, the $50 million facility provides an additional pool of working capital across four origins and complements the €150 million Société Générale package focused on three of them.