A Food Processing Safari Through the Pearl of Africa
Mandla with Joel and Erina Guma, cofounders of Pristine Foods in Uganda.
Besides its unique pearl-like shape, Uganda is certainly one of Africa’s jewels, made up of many layers. If you peel away the Boda Boda stunt moves, and madness that is Kampala, you’ll find a food processors’ mecca. Uganda’s climate and the blessed abundance of deep soils and water makes it ideal for the production of many food ingredients. My trip from Kampala to Mbarara and Masaka with PFS colleagues helped me solve the mystery of the source of “Matoke” type bananas that flow freely in the capital - Southwestern Uganda! We met truck upon truck carrying the fruit of the land of this great country. Our Uganda colleagues, Edwin (the quiet and unassuming Ugandan food industry legend) and Robert (whose secret skills as an amazing defensive driver were in full display), gave us a solid view of the opportunities in the food sector, and for PFS in Uganda. The companies they led us through got me thinking about the famed Big Five game animals, the lion, leopard, rhinoceros, elephant, and African buffalo that roam the plains and savannas of this country and continent.
Leopard
Manya Millers, anchored on the support of over 110 primary cooperatives, women’s groups, and community organizations, this cooperative has mobilized its 8000 smallholder farmers and other suppliers to sustain its growth. The new milling plant allows them to triple production capacity. However, with growth often comes pain, and Manya’s cash squeeze is not insignificant. CEO, Claire Kabakyenga and Production Manager Conrad, with our support, can scale these obstacles with the nimbleness, speed and agility of a leopard. New opportunities, like a contract with CARE Uganda to supply refugees and potential fortification opportunities indicate this business has the possibility to scale. The support we have rendered to Manya (including apprenticeship, GMPs documentation, Quality Lab requirements, and the GAP loan), have made them stronger. We need to help them keep hunting!
Buffalo
One of the unique things about African buffaloes is the way they move in herds and always act to protect the vulnerable by leveraging the power of numbers, collaborating and staying together. Our visit to MADDO Dairy, and meeting Father Peter and one of their suppliers, Mama Theresa, helped me connect the dots on why the companies we support are important, not only for what they do, but who they do it for, and how it impacts society. MADDO Dairy’s supplier base is poor, rural farmers who rely on selling milk to the processor. Having access to cows, feed and a market is an essential part of their livelihoods. The fact that MADDO pays a premium for the milk and provides extension services means that retirees like Mama Theresa can invest in improved fodder, bio-digesters and complementary crops (coffee and bananas) to diversify their incomes. Our work of providing advisory services to support MADDO on a core product, yoghurt, has kept the operation going. The yoghurt is starting a play an important role for another vulnerable community, school children, who bear the brunt of Uganda’s malnutrition challenge. MADDO’s 200ml sachets of yoghurt are reaching vulnerable children in the school milk program. What started as three cows in 1993, is now a network of no less than over 2300 cows from smallholders like Mama Theresa.
Elephant
African elephants have a 22-month gestation, longer than any mammal. Sitting and chatting with Joel Guma and his wife Erina, about Pristine Foods gave one a sense of what it took to bring this business to life. These two professionals (and married couple) conceived this idea, invested time, savings and leveraged social networks to bring it to life. When they share the impact that our volunteers Julie and Scott have had on their business, and more importantly how their turnover has trended after our interventions, you can see the makings of a colossus of a business that is already opening the door for hundreds of smallholder networks to a stable egg market. Their latest innovation, powdered whole eggs, is already a part of feeding schemes in Northen Uganda. The 12g of egg powder per child per day, might change the fortunes of a generation of rural children. Innovation and resilience lives here, whether its reducing electricity bills with solar energy by 60% or packaging mini egg sachets – this team seems to always makes a plan!
Rhino
“Our father used to ride a bicycle with a can of milk at the back, selling the product to keep us in school, and provide for the family, for us milk is personal” This is what Saleh Kilgore, Founder and MD of Royal Milk, shared with us on our visit. His business partner and Quality Assurance and Safety Manager Bob Ssebandeke is so full of infectious energy, that it literally drives Royal Milk. He shared the journey that this business has taken, the near and big misses they have had. Instead of extinction (just like the Rhino), these young entrepreneurs seem to be finding ways to grow, and just need some guidance, protection and support to thrive and make their contribution. Royal Milk already has about 120,000 smallholder farmers in their network and are aggregating and supplying milk to other processors. They are starting to process their own value-added products with PFS support. It was delightful to interact with our apprentice, Esther, who commanded her space with poise and confidence and is clearly an important member of the Royal Milk team.
Lion
Our last engagement was with Kim Kamarebe, MD and founder of Inua Capital. I walked away from the meeting with a sense that that is someone who knows this terrain, understands what needs to be done and has built a solid team around her to deliver catalytic capital to agrifood companies who need it. Her comment to provide capital to grow the next generation of African (Food) Titans resonated with me. I really felt that even though we have had our issues with GAP financing, our experience is not unique, others have gone before us, and maybe they can join and support our journey of discovery, refinement and resetting. As we hunt for talented, mission driven and effective food entrepreneurs, we are part of a bigger “pride”, and Kim and her team gave me the sense that we will be ok! Our task is to connect expertise with opportunity, as the great Mufasa says, “While others search for what they can take, a true king (PFS and ecosystem partners like Inua) searches for what he can give”. Thanks for the safari, Team Uganda Mandla From Kigali 15 July 2024