Retail Holding is a leading diversified Moroccan investment holding company operating in fast-moving consumer goods and food retail. RH and its subsidiaries hold strong positions in high-growth markets in Morocco. Based in Rabat, the Group has grown steadily since its establishment in 1985 to become a significant economic player and one of the leading employers in Morocco's private sector, with nearly 12 thousand employees. The Group also has a presence in Cote d'Ivoire, through CDCI.

The Group is majority owned by Best Financière (50.6%) and whose beneficial owners are two Moroccan families, the Bennani and Hadni families. 

  The total Project cost is estimated at US$56 million broken down into two equity components: (i) an equity investment of up to MAD410 million (approximately US$41 million equivalent) in Retail Holding SA (RH); and (ii) an equity investment of up to US$15 million in Compagnie de Distribution de Cote d'Ivoire (CDCI). 

The project will be located in both (i) Morocco for the first component of the investment, and (ii) Cote d'Ivoire for the second component.    

This is a Category B project according to IFC’s Policy on Environmental and Social Sustainability. Key E&S risks and issues related to this project include: (a) RH’s and its subsidiaries capacity and systems to manage its social, environmental, health and safety aspects of its operations (stores, warehouses and other locations) in compliance with legal requirements as well as IFC Performance Standards and World Bank Group (WBG) EHS guidelines; (b) E&S screening and potential stores and their locations; (c) life and fire safety (LFS) and emergency response management for all stores as per WBG EHS guidelines; (d) assurance of fair, safe and healthy working conditions for its workforce (both employees and third party workers); (e) waste management; (f) compliance with IFC PSs in the supply chain; and (g) traffic and security management.