The supply of biscuits in DR Congo The supply of biscuits in the DR Congo is limited, both in terms of quantity and quality. The market is supply driven and relies on production of four local factories in Kinshasa and imports from mainly India. As the Kinshasa market already consists of eleven million people, hardly any biscuits reach areas outside the country's capital.Local partner Cotrama SPRL therefore sees a business opportunity in establishing a modern biscuit factory in the city of Boma. The owner of Cotrama already owns several bread bakeries in Kinshasa. As the competition in this sector is getting fierce, he is looking for alternative markets in which to expand.In its search for a suitable business partner, they found the Dutch company Van der Schoot Projecttechniek B.V.. This company specialises in consultancy, management and design of industrial bakeries, and has a particular interest in helping new bakeries to get started.The partners have established a joint venture that is setting up a biscuit factory in Boma, for the production of both fortified biscuits (high nutritional and energy value, and added vitamins and minerals) as well as high quality standard biscuits.Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)For the project a CSR policy will be developed which takes into account labour standards and employee participation, personnel policy, health and safety of employees, environment, rights of local population, chain responsibility, human rights and corruption.Even though the local market does not require certification, the factory will become ISO 22000 certified (which includes HACCP). This will enable the partners to sell its biscuits to the World Food Programme and UNICEF in the long run. Last of all, the partners will follow the ETI Base Code, which guarantees that basic working conditions are sound.Impact•	Employment and working conditionsA total of 50 people will be employed 28 of them will be basic-skilled labourers (20 operators and 8 guards), the other 22 are either medium or high-skilled employees. The salaries will at least be double the local minimum wage of USD 150 per month. This salary includes reservations for covering medical costs, transport allowances, NSS and income tax, overnight housing and subsidised lunches.•	Innovation / Transfer of knowledgeKnowledge about food technology, industrial biscuit production and quality systems like ISO 22000 will be new to the country. The project will invest an important part of its budget into training of employees, in order to transfer this knowledge properly.•	Chain effectsThe most important chain effect will be on the retailers in the street.As biscuits are currently hardly available on the Bas Congo market, this project will offer a new alternative to the food and sweets that are sold in the streets, and this will be attractive to the (mainly female) retailers in the streets. It is expected that at least 500 resellers will sell these biscuits.In addition, some suppliers of raw material (flour, bags, packaging material) will benefit from the introduction of this biscuit factory.•	EnvironmentAs the electricity grid in Boma is highly unreliable, the partners will have to use a generator, running on furnace oil. The fumes that will be produced will be captivated as much as possible by using soot filters. This is done by the local Bralima (Heineken) breweries as well.The solid waste produced by the factory will be limited (1 truckload per year), and will be disposed of properly.•	Position of womenApproximately 33% of all employees will be female. The majority of these female employees will work in higher positions, as the basic operator jobs are considered to be too heavy for women. To establish a modern industrial biscuit factory with an annual capacity of producing 2,900 tons of fortified biscuits with high nutritional and energy value and added vitamins and minerals, as well as high standard biscuits for the local market.