Africa: frozen meat and fish for African importers and distributors

APM Traders supplies the African market with a full range of frozen meat cuts and offal from pork, beef, sheep (lamb and mutton), goat and poultry (chicken, hen and turkey), shipped in reefer containers to the port of destination. We control the origin, quality and traceability of every shipment, and guarantee a regular supply at competitive prices.

Meat is our specialty, but we also quote frozen fish on request through our network of international suppliers.

We work with importers, wholesale distributors and international traders operating in Africa. We source product from Europe and other international markets, and we handle the logistics and documentation so your goods reach port without complications.

Frozen products we export to Africa

Our range focuses on the fastest-moving cuts and offal in the African market, in different quality grades (A and B) to suit every customer and budget.

• Chicken and hen: 3-joint wings, cut wings, wing tips, drumsticks, leg quarters, backs, carcasses, necks, feet, whole chicken and whole hen.
• Beef: feet (cow foot), tendons, green tripe, heart, kidney, liver, masks and meaty bones.
• Pork: feet and trotters, hocks, ears, tails, heads and rib tips.
• Turkey: tails, necks, whole wings, wing tips and mid wings.
• Sheep and goat: lamb, mutton and goat flaps and breast, trotters, green tripe, meaty bones and ribs.

This list is not exhaustive: if you are looking for a specific cut that is not listed here, ask us and we will source it.

All products are supplied frozen, usually in 10 kg fixed-weight cartons or catch-weight cartons of up to 20 kg. This is the most practical format for market sales and local distribution.

Frozen fish: we quote it too

Although meat is our specialty, frozen fish is a line we are developing. We have a wide network of suppliers and quote on request the species most consumed in West and Central Africa:

• Horse mackerel (chinchard), the most demanded frozen fish in Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana and both Congos.
• Mackerel (maquereau).
• Sardine and sardinella.
• Blue whiting (merlan bleu).
• Hake.
• Tuna and bonito.

Tell us the species, size, packing and port of destination, and we will prepare an offer.

Priority markets in West Africa

Our focus is the West African coast. We know the consumption habits and cuisine of each country, and we tailor our offer to what actually sells in each destination.

Côte d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast): a major consumer of chicken, pork and offal, with a strong tradition of smoked meat (viande fumée), which keeps for days and is the base of sauces such as sauce graine and sauce arachide. Kedjenou and the poulet braisé served in maquis drive demand for chicken and hen, while frozen horse mackerel and tuna are everyday companions to attiéké and garba.

Ghana: a high-volume market for chicken leg quarters, pork, cow foot and cow skin (wele), found every day in light soup, groundnut soup and palm nut soup. Frozen horse mackerel (kpanla) and mackerel are staples of everyday cooking.

Senegal: mostly halal consumption, focused on beef and lamb, with dibi (grilled lamb) as the signature dish and a strong peak in sheep demand at Tabaski (Eid al-Adha). Chicken is the base of yassa, and beef of mafé.

The Gambia: a halal market very close to Senegal, where beef and chicken are cooked in domoda (peanut stew) and benachin.

Guinea: main demand for halal beef, mutton and offal for traditional stews such as sauce arachide and sauce feuille, with consumption peaks during Ramadan and Tabaski.

Liberia and Sierra Leone: consumption based on chicken, offal and pork by-products such as pig feet and tails, at affordable prices. They are a regular ingredient in palm butter, pepper soup and cassava leaf stews.

Togo and Benin: consumer markets for chicken, pork and offal, and important distribution hubs for inland and Sahel countries such as Burkina Faso, Niger and Mali.

Central African markets

We also work with importers in Central Africa, high-volume markets for chicken, offal and frozen fish:

Angola: one of the continent’s largest importers of frozen chicken, the base of muamba de galinha, with strong demand for horse mackerel (carapau) and mackerel as well.

Republic of the Congo and DR Congo: high consumption of chicken, offal and frozen fish, especially horse mackerel (mpiodi), served with pondu and chikwangue.

Gabon and Equatorial Guinea: markets with good purchasing power, where chicken and beef are cooked in palm nut sauces such as poulet nyembwe.

Cameroon: demand for beef, offal and fish for dishes such as ndolé.

Adapted to local consumption

In much of West Africa, access to home refrigerators is limited, so consumers buy daily and in small quantities. Many cuts are singed or smoked over the fire as part of traditional preparations.

Each dish has its cuts. Cow feet, green tripe and other tripe add texture to soups and stews. Pig feet, tails and ears are boiled or smoked. Wings, leg quarters and turkey tails and necks are grilled or smoked and sold by the piece, while lamb and goat meaty bones and ribs add flavour to broths and sauces.

That is why we select cuts, sizes and formats designed for this reality: bone-in, skin-on pieces, offal and portions suited to piece-by-piece market sales and traditional smoking. We offer good value for money, which is what lets distributors turn stock quickly and protect their margin.

Demand also follows the calendar. Christmas and New Year drive up chicken and pork consumption in coastal countries, while Ramadan and Tabaski concentrate demand for halal sheep, goat and beef. We help you plan shipments in advance so the goods arrive in time for each season.

How we work

• Full or mixed container: we ship in 40-foot reefer containers (24 to 27 tonnes) or 20-foot containers (about 12 tonnes), with a single product or several items combined in the same shipment.
• Price delivered to your port: we quote EXW, FOB, CFR or CIF, in euros or US dollars. Most of our African customers buy CFR, with sea freight included to their port.
• Complete documentation: we handle the health and export certificates required by each country, plus the certificate of origin, Bill of Lading, commercial invoice and packing list.
• Halal products: we offer halal-certified product for the markets that require it.
• Updated offers: we regularly send offers of available product, for prompt or scheduled loading.
• Personal service: we answer in English, French and Spanish, with direct contact by email, phone or WhatsApp.

Ports we serve

West Africa: Abidjan (Côte d’Ivoire), Tema (Ghana), Lomé (Togo), Cotonou (Benin), Lagos (Nigeria), Conakry (Guinea), Freetown (Sierra Leone), Monrovia (Liberia), Banjul (The Gambia), Dakar (Senegal) and Nouakchott (Mauritania).

Central Africa: Douala and Kribi (Cameroon), Bata and Malabo (Equatorial Guinea), Libreville and Port-Gentil (Gabon), Pointe-Noire (Republic of the Congo), Matadi (DR Congo), Luanda and Lobito (Angola).

Southern Africa: Walvis Bay (Namibia), Durban and Cape Town (South Africa) and Maputo (Mozambique).

If your port is not on the list, ask us: we study every route and give you a CFR price to any destination with a reefer shipping service.

African islands

We also supply the main African island markets, where demand combines local consumption, hospitality and tourism:

• Seychelles: high-end hotels and resorts that require quality cuts and a regular supply.
• Mauritius: a multicultural market with demand for halal products and a wide range of species for hospitality and distribution.

Frequently asked questions

What is the minimum order?

One reefer container: 20-foot (about 12 tonnes) or 40-foot (24 to 27 tonnes). It can be a single product or a mixed load combining several items.

Can you ship the goods to my port?

Yes. We quote CFR or CIF to the main ports in West, Central and Southern Africa, with sea freight included. If you prefer to arrange transport yourself, we also work EXW and FOB.

Do you have halal meat?

Yes, we offer halal-certified product for the markets that require it, such as Senegal, The Gambia, Guinea, Mauritania and Mauritius.

What is the product’s shelf life?

Frozen product has a shelf life of up to 24 months. Before closing each deal, we confirm the production and expiry dates.

Which documents come with the shipment?

Veterinary health certificate, certificate of origin, Bill of Lading, commercial invoice and packing list, plus any specific certificates your country requires.

Do you also sell frozen fish?

Yes, on request. Meat is our specialty, but we have a wide network of fish suppliers and quote the species you need.

How do I start working with APM Traders?

Write to us with your requirements. We will send you our customer form to learn which products, markets and certifications you are interested in, and from then on you will receive offers tailored to your business.