Foodstuffs including meat, poultry, cheese, and beverages primarily enter the Gabonese market as imports.  Many imports come from Europe at higher prices resulting in a heavy trade imbalance and strain on the currency.  According to data from the Ministry of Agriculture, Gabon imports 450 billion CFA worth of food products each year, particularly from countries such as Brazil, France, South Africa, and neighbors Cameroon and the Republic of Congo. For example, Gabon imports 65,000 tons of frozen chickens, 3,000 tons of rumps, and 600 tons of chicken feet totaling 65 billion CFA. In July 2018, the government reduced tax exemptions on imports and announced plans to encourage more domestic food production, especially in poultry.  However, high Gabonese labor costs prevented domestic production from increasing.

Since 2014, Gabon has been laying the foundations for agricultural development through a project entitled, “Gabonese Agricultural Achievement and Engaged National Initiatives” (the GRAINE Project).  The project is funded by the Gabonese government through international loans provided by the African Development Bank and the World Bank; Olam was awarded the implementation and management contracts.