The Vice President of the Republic of Liberia, Jeremiah Kpan Koung, has described as a “significant contribution to the country’s economy” the newly dedicated Mayonnaise factory of the Liberia Food Processing Incorporated (LFPI), an affiliate of A-Z Corporation. Vice President Koung termed the project a significant milestone under President Joseph Boakai’s ARREST Agenda, observing that it stands as a beacon of job creation, training, and national resilience.
The mayonnaise factory is estimated to be valued over US$12 million for its first phase, with a capacity to produce 1,000 tons of finished product per month, and with twenty-six (26) Liberian employees who have been trained by European specialists in the operation and maintenance of the facility. The next phase, according to information, will see additional investments, including the production of tomato paste, tomato ketchup, noodles, seasoning and bouillon tablets.
It was officially dedicated by Vice President Koung on Friday, July 4, 2025, in Gardnesville, at an elaborate program attended by the Minister of Commerce and Industry (MoCI), Magdalene Ellen Dagoseh; Political Advisor to President Boakai, Macdella Cooper; Jake Kabakollie, as well as the management of A-Z Corporation and the media.
Speaking at the dedication ceremony, Vice President Koung commended the owners of the Liberia Food Processing Factory (LFPI) for their significant contribution to the country’s economy, and expressed optimism about the future of industrial development in Liberia.
VP Koung also lauded Kamal Merhi, Founder of A-Z Corporation, for his longstanding commitment to Liberia.
He emphasized the importance of expanding industrial infrastructure to promote economic growth, and called on both Liberian and international investors to consider beginning the construction of factories in Liberia to help address the nation’s unemployment challenges.
Also making remarks, the Minister of Commerce and Industry, Magdalene Ellen Dagoseh, said the opening of the new food processing facility is an important step in the Boakai administration’s journey to build a stronger, more self-reliant, and prosperous Liberia.
Minister Dagoseh urged that the factory should represent a machinery era, and production lines. “It should symbolize opportunity, resilience, and a bright future we are working hard to achieve,” she stated.
She, too, described the investment as not only in food production, but in the Liberian people, the economy, and the national pride.
According to Minister Dagoseh, the investment will have a ripple effect, not only through the jobs it creates but also by supporting local farmers, transporters, retailers, and small business owners. “This is exactly the kind of link between industry and SMEs that we must continue to strengthen,” she observed.
She commended the visionaries behind the project and called on others to follow this example. “Together, we can build a Liberia that is not only self-sufficient, but flourishing,” she noted.
Speaking on behalf of the CEO of A-Z Corporation/LFPI Liberia Food Processing Inc., Kamal Merhi, a senior manager of company, Rami, said the investment is a measure of their love for Liberia, noting that Liberia has been good to A-Z Corporation over their five decades of existence. “We owe our success to Liberia, and today we are proud to share with you an enterprise that will help strengthen your government’s ARREST Policy,” he observed.
Rami disclosed that they will create jobs, train Liberians, provide downstream supply chain opportunities for SMES, and save on valuable foreign exchange through import substitution. “We will stand as a shining example to other investors of our confidence in the Liberian economy, and encourage others to invest in food processing and light manufacturing,” he noted.
He assured that A-Z Corporation and Liberia Food Processing Inc. are here to stay, and that they will continue to serve the Liberian people while working to serve as an exporter of Liberian produced goods to other Mano River Union countries, helping contribute to Liberia’s balance of trade.
According to him, they stayed the course despite the coup d’état of 1980, the Civil War, Ebola and COVID-19, emphasizing that this investment and other planned investments are a reflection of their confidence in the Liberian economy and their commitment to the Liberian people who have supported their business.
The official ribbon-cutting to the facility was performed by Vice President Koung, flanked by an array of government officials present, and the managers of A-Z/LFPI. They toured the facility and saw, firsthand, the environment, working atmosphere and equipment at the factory.