Stanbic Bank Kenya and Stanbic Bank Uganda, both members of the Standard Bank Group, successfully closed a USD 45 million long-term funding package to support the expansion of two PepsiCo bottlers in East Africa — Crown Beverages Limited (CBL) in Uganda and SBC Kenya Limited in Kenya.
The transaction, comprising USD 30 million for CBL and USD 15 million for SBC Kenya, reinforces the two banks’ shared commitment to driving regional growth through innovative cross-border financing solutions.
It also demonstrates Standard Bank Group’s ability to connect clients seamlessly across markets, powering industrial expansion and regional trade within Africa.
This milestone builds on a long-standing relationship between Stanbic Bank Uganda and Crown Beverages Limited that spans more than two decades. Since 2020, the Standard Bank Group has supported CBL’s modular expansion and further demonstrated its commitment by advising and funding the acquisition of SBC Kenya by CBL’s shareholders in 2023.
“This transaction exemplifies how our Positive Impact framework translates ambition into action,” said Paul Muganwa, Executive Director and Head of Corporate and Investment Banking, Stanbic Bank Uganda.
“By structuring a cross-border solution in partnership with our colleagues in Kenya, we are advancing inclusive growth across financial, enterprise, and industrial dimensions. The investment will stimulate job creation, enhance local manufacturing capacity, and strengthen regional trade linkages — particularly benefiting youth, women, and farmers within the supply chain.
Through the Standard Bank Group, Africa’s largest bank with a presence in 20 markets, our clients gain the confidence and capability to expand beyond borders. Banking with Stanbic in Uganda or Kenya means leveraging Africa’s most extensive financial network to drive our region’s growth and unlock the continent’s opportunity.”
SJ Kok, Head of Corporate and Investment Banking at Stanbic Bank Kenya, added: “Our ability to collaborate across our country teams underscores the power of our regional network. Through our established relationship with Crown Beverages Limited in Uganda, we were able to seamlessly extend support to SBC Kenya and design a funding structure that met the complex requirements of a brownfield expansion. This is a strong example of how we bring Standard Bank Group’s regional ecosystem to life for our clients.”
The funding is expected to boost manufacturing output, support local supply chains, and enhance productivity in key sectors critical to job creation and innovation. Beyond financing, the transaction reaffirms Standard Bank Group’s commitment to driving sustainable, inclusive growth through tailored, pan-African financial solutions that connect clients to opportunity, wherever they operate on the continent.
