K and E Nutrition Company

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K and E Nutrition Company: Contributing to health improvement and job creation through food value addition

MASAKA, UgandaGREATER MASAKA AND KAMPALA, Uganda
Year Founded:
2007
Organization type: 
for profit
Project Stage:
Start-Up
Budget: 
$1,000 - $10,000
Facebook: 
http://[email protected]
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Project Summary
Elevator Pitch

Concise Summary: Help us pitch this solution! Provide an explanation within 3-4 short sentences.

K&E is a food and Beverage Company which produces 100% natural fruit juices and soy based products to address;human health problems, youth unemployment, environmental degradation and post-harvest food losses through value addition.

WHAT IF - Inspiration: Write one sentence that describes a way that your project dares to ask, "WHAT IF?"

What if value was added to all harvested fruits to create hundreds of thousands of jobs for the youths and improve on pepole's health?
About Project

Problem: What problem is this project trying to address?

Uganda is faced with a high disease burden, highest rate of youth unemployment in the world recorded at 83% (ADI, 2008/09), and post harvest losses of foods. The fruit sub sector has had little exploitation and offers big opportunities for investment. For children under 5 years, stunting is at 38%, 16% under weight and 6% acutely malnourished. The rate of tree felling is high. Heart diseases, cancers and obesity have increased and need attention.

Solution: What is the proposed solution? Please be specific!

We have developed 7 natural health products already on the market, and are on high demand. We target to reach 1500 malnourished children, 300 people with diabetes and hypertension, 100 people with Kidney problems by 2016. 2. Job creation for the youths. We target 50 jobs both directly and indirectly by 2016. This will be achieved through supporting local farmers by buying their raw-materials at a fair price to motivate them expand their orchards. Right from the gardens through harvesting, transport, processing and marketing, a chain of jobs is evident. We have already created 7 jobs. This approach will contribute to a greener environment through increased fruit tree planting, provide a bank for carbon and reduce on global warming.
Impact: How does it Work

Example: Walk us through a specific example(s) of how this solution makes a difference; include its primary activities.

We have managed to formulate high protein-energy porridge which has been used to boost weight gain and general health of over 1000 children with moderate malnutrition, a silent killer. -Initially we had to screen the children to identify those at risk and segregate them according to severity for individualized management. The raw-materials used are bought from local farmers who also employ other people on their farms. There are people involved in sorting, roasting for soy, milling, transport, blending, packing and marketing the products. -We have given out quality paw-paw seeds to 5 potential farmer suppliers. One of them has supplied since 2012. We plan to get more quality fruit seedlings for farmers who will supply us to boost income

Impact: What is the impact of the work to date? Also describe the projected future impact for the coming years.

1. Our range of health products have been used by consumers in a number of health conditions and feeding problems. Over 1000 children with moderate and severe malnutrition have gained sufficient weight and recovered with our High Protein-energy porridge formula since 2010. Over 200 parents have used this product to improve the feeding of their children since 2009. 2. REMA fruit juice (an eight fruit power) has been been used by over 100 parents to boost immunity and appetite of their children. It has also been used by over 60 people with diabetes, hypertension in combination with Low calorie-high protein and calcium replacement formulae with success. 3. We introduced a natural fruit drink called Freedom in some canteens in Masaka and over 150 consumers have embraced it instead of sodas. 4. We have created 7 jobs and created a database for farmer suppliers of raw-materials.

Spread Strategies: Moving forward, what are the main strategies for scaling impact?

To transform the lives of consumers through Specific disease prevention and management; using specific local food formulations The issue of job creation for youths, environmental protection through going green and reducing on food wastage through value addition has been fully addressed in this project. We envision creating 100 direct jobs and 400 indirect jobs in the next 5 to 10 years. This will involve contributing to improving household incomes for suppliers of raw-materials such as fruits, legumes and cereals. To build knowledge and skills among 1,000 youths for self-reliance.
Sustainability

Financial Sustainability Plan: What is this solution’s plan to ensure financial sustainability?

Our competitive advantage is the ability to design natural products without chemical preservatives, food colors and artificial sugars. Buying raw-materials from local farmers at a fair price. Maintaining high quality products, attractive packaging, unique branding, value for money, customer networks, quality customer care, advertising and timely delivery. Profits re-investment for growth and expansion, re-cycling juice bottles, paper bag use.

Marketplace: Who else is addressing the problem outlined here? How does the proposed project differ from these approaches?

Ms. Asiimwe Rose looks at fruit tree planting, juice making, job creation and environment protection. We empower farmers by buying their produce at a fair price when wastage is at peak. We researched on natural fruit juice production for one year to test the shelf-life without refrigeration, with success. This favors processing of large fruit quantities with the product available to consumers throughout the year. The products target specific age groups and health conditions for consumers. There is a gap in natural products on market which we bridge with unique health benefits of products.
Team

Founding Story

Right from 2000, i had a dream to begin my own Company to save on the fruits and other food losses i always encountered in the Areas of greater Masaka. The high: preventable disease burden, unemployment rate, post harvest losses of fruits and other foods, a virgin fruit sub-sector with big opportunities for investment, the high demand for Uganda’s organic natural products which is seven times higher than the supply in the integrated market, and the increasing consumer health concerns and needs which call for natural health products, were key in my dream. My first prototype was a porridge product in 2007, natural juice in 2010.

Team

1. Mr. Kakooza Emmanuel, the Executive director. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Human nutrition and dietetics. He is the brain behind the idea and holds skills in product development and sensory evaluation. In 2011, we won an award from International Labor Organization for youth entrepreneurship and innovation. 2. Mr. Musenero Muwonge Gabriel: He is the financial adviser and holds a Bachelor of accounting and Finance. He has skills in business planning and forecasting. 3. Mr. Mbaziira Charles: He holds a Diploma in Home Economics and he is the operations manager for soy-based products, assisted by Mr. Kitone Frank 4. Mrs. Bagundidde Rose Namutebi: She is the Marketing adviser. She holds a Diploma in Primary Education. She has special skills in marketing. 5. Ms. Nakandi Maureen; Bachelor of Business Administration and management. She is responsible for the day to day running of the business
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