{"url":"https://newsforagent.com/news/2026-11-06/star-group-ebrd-loan-uzbekistan","markdown_url":"https://newsforagent.com/news/2026-11-06/star-group-ebrd-loan-uzbekistan.md","title":"Star Group Secures $20 Million EBRD Loan for Uzbekistan Expansion","headline":"EBRD Lends Up to $20 Million to Uzbekistan's Star Group for Working Capital and Growth","description":"The EBRD is lending up to $20 million to Star Group, an Uzbek FMCG distributor, to fund working capital and expansion of its beauty-shop retail chain.","section":"Funding","published_at":"2026-11-06T17:42:35+00:00","modified_at":"2026-11-06T17:42:35+00:00","author":"News Desk","key_takeaways":["The EBRD is lending up to $20 million to Star Group, a Tashkent-based FMCG distributor.","The loan will finance working capital and expansion of Star Group's Tashkent- and Samarkand-based beauty-shop retail chain.","Grant funding from the EBRD and the Japan-EBRD Cooperation Fund will support Star Group's corporate governance action plan."],"companies":[{"name":"Star Group","is_primary":true,"profile_url":"https://akta.pro/company-profiles/0004k66/star-group","website":"https://stargroup.uz"}],"source":{"publisher":"Request Blocked","title":"EBRD extends loan to Star Group in Uzbekistan","url":"https://www.ebrd.com/home/news-and-events/news/2026/ebrd-extends-loan-to-star-group-in-uzbekistan.html"},"other_sources":[{"publisher":"Request Blocked","url":"https://www.ebrd.com/home/news-and-events/news/2026/ebrd-invests-in-aikgroup-to-support-growth-and-wider-banking-sec.html"},{"publisher":"Request Blocked","url":"https://www.ebrd.com/home/news-and-events/news/2026/ebrd-backs-uluda-cecek-investment-in-earthquake-hit-turkish-city.html"},{"publisher":"Request Blocked","url":"https://www.ebrd.com/home/news-and-events/news/2026/ebrd-deepens-cooperation-with-mortgage-refinancing-company-of-uz.html"},{"publisher":"Bloomberg","url":"https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-11-03/hsbc-jpmorgan-offer-to-help-development-banks-get-capital-relief"}],"tags":["Funding","Star Group"],"body_markdown":"The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development is lending up to $20 million to Star Group, a Tashkent-based distributor of fast-moving consumer goods, to finance working capital and business expansion. The EBRD [announced](https://www.ebrd.com/home/news-and-events/news/2026/ebrd-extends-loan-to-star-group-in-uzbekistan.html) the loan on November 6, 2026.\n\n## Star Group's Loan and Retail Chain Plans\n\nThe loan goes to Support Samarqand, Bloomshop, Star Distribution and Star FMCG, which operate collectively as [Star Group](https://akta.pro/company-profiles/0004k66/star-group). The EBRD said the funds will cover the group's working capital needs and support its expansion, including growth of its beauty-shop retail chain in Tashkent and Samarkand. Star Group will use the financing to extend its regional presence and widen its product range.\n\nGrant funding from the EBRD and the Japan-EBRD Cooperation Fund will help Star Group develop a corporate governance action plan. The EBRD will also set up a mentorship programme aimed at supporting women's careers and retaining female staff at the company.\n\nThe EBRD said it has invested almost $7.3 billion in Uzbekistan to date through 219 projects, with most of those funds directed to private entrepreneurship.\n\n## Star Group's Earlier EBRD Financing\n\nStar Group previously secured a $14 million loan from the EBRD in May 2024, according to akta.pro [company records](https://akta.pro/company-data). That financing was designated for working capital, regional expansion, construction of an energy-efficient warehouse and electric vehicle acquisition. The same records list a May 2024 grant of $82,000 led by FINTECC and show two funding rounds on file for the company.\n\n| Date | Instrument | Amount | Lead |\n|---|---|---|---|\n| May 2024 | Loan | $14 million | EBRD |\n| May 2024 | Grant | $82,000 | FINTECC |\n| November 2026 | Loan | Up to $20 million | EBRD |\n\n## Other Recent EBRD Deals in the Region\n\nThe EBRD said on November 5, 2026, that it is investing up to €64 million in AikGroup, a south-eastern European banking group, for a 5% stake, [according to the EBRD](https://www.ebrd.com/home/news-and-events/news/2026/ebrd-invests-in-aikgroup-to-support-growth-and-wider-banking-sec.html). On the same date, the EBRD [announced](https://www.ebrd.com/home/news-and-events/news/2026/ebrd-backs-uluda-cecek-investment-in-earthquake-hit-turkish-city.html) a loan of up to €45 million to Uludağ İçecek for a new mineral water and soft drinks facility in Malatya, Turkey. The EBRD also [provided](https://www.ebrd.com/home/news-and-events/news/2026/ebrd-deepens-cooperation-with-mortgage-refinancing-company-of-uz.html) a $50 million loan to Uzbekistan's Mortgage Refinancing Company on November 5, 2026.\n","publisher":{"name":"News for Agent","url":"https://newsforagent.com"}}