AGRISOL AFRICA LIMITED
Founder: Dr. James Kanyije
Start date: 25th June 2011
Location: Headquarters in Kampala with offices in Kakyeeka, Mbarara district
Business Focus: The Company exports fresh fruits and vegetables from Uganda to Europe and other continents.
KK Fresh Produce Exporters Ltd (KK Foods) is the industry leader in the exportation of fresh fruits and vegetables from Uganda to Europe and other continents. KK Foods exports of fruits and vegetables include; hot pepper, chili, sweet potato, African egg-plant and matooke (green banana). In addition to exporting fruits and vegetables, KK Foods has invested in a production facility to produce value-added products on contract.
Having acquired vast experience in export of fresh produce from Ice mark Africa Limited, FFP (U) Ltd (Mashamba brand) where he was responsible for helping start-up companies, Kanyije, the CEO of KK foods decided to turn his family house outside Kampala into KK Foods to help kick-start operations.
According to Kanyije, the inspiration to start KK foods came from the need to help farmers fight poverty through agricultural development and promote the country’s exports on the global market as a reliable supplier of quality products and services with a view of earning substantial foreign exchange.
He also adds that the insufficient undertaking to address the demand of agricultural products which meet global quality standards with most companies in the arena concentrating on a limited product line was an opportunity to create a company ooffering a wide range of agricultural products in the fruits and vegetables arena.
Since inception, the Agri-Sme has worked with over 1,000 smallholder farmers who deliver produce for export throughout the year. 35% of the farmers are women, Western and Eastern Uganda each accounts for 40% with Central Uganda providing 20%.
In a bid to support small-holder farmers, KK Foods partnered with Swiss Contact to support an additional 500 smallholder farmers every year. The first group of 500 farmers have already sold produce to KK Foods and the SME is still exploring several additional partnerships with development agencies to further enhance impact to its farmers.
Like many Agri-Smes, KK Foods has faced different challenges on its way up with most of them originating from changes in weather patterns which directly impact smallholder farmer production for example reduced rainfall, prolonged droughts which bring business to a stand-still thereby causing losses to the company.
In 5 years, the company hopes to expand to a new market of exporting frozen vacuum packed fruits and vegetables with its farm having a capacity sufficient to produce in excess of 100,000 tons of fruits and vegetables per year and the rest will be produced by our out growers. The company also plans to utilize traditional and more advanced plant and production technologies to produce better quality products of hot pepper, beans, Green peas and Bananas with locally-adapted superior characteristics for the targeted market.
