How to succeed in the dried fruits business

Most trips to the countryside are interspersed with the sight of men and women selling ripe fruit by the roadside. While there’s a huge market for fruit, linking farmers to the end customer is a big problem. And it’s made worse by the fact that fruit is so perishable.

To avoid incurring huge losses, most farmer sell their harvest at throwaway prices to traders who then ferry the fruit to towns and make a killing.

It’s estimated that 30 to 40 per cent of fruits and vegetables go to waste on farms and at market places because they perish before consumption.

A quick way to avoid these losses is by drying them, which extends their shelf-life to between 12 months and 18 months. Here’s how to tap into this business opportunity.

What you’ll need:

1. Farmers

Your dried fruit will only be as good as the base you start out with. Reach out to farmers to secure a steady supply of produce. Widen your scope as much as possible to increase the variety of fruits you dry. With mangoes, for instance, you can approach farmers from Kirinyaga and Murang’a to Embu and Kitui. Usually, a kilo of mangoes costs Sh15 during the peak season. The semi-arid Eastern region produces about 60 per cent of Kenya’s mango harvests each year. Look out for farmers growing bananas, oranges, pineapples, peaches and plums.

2. The equipment

You’ll need a biomass solar drier for commercial production. However, under hygienic conditions, you can start out by slicing fruit thinly and drying them out under the sun. This, though, takes longer and requires that utmost hygiene be observed.

You may also need to buy sodium benzoate, a food preservative, with a Sh1,000 bottle enough to start off. You can find this at any local shops that sell food-grade preservatives.

You’ll need transparent packaging bags and a sealer, which you can get from packaging shops.

You also have the option of converting dried mango peels into powder with a grinder, which will set you back about Sh5,000 for an average-sized one.

3. The right location

Set up your business near a source of fruits as they can be quite bulky. You also need a steady supply of water to clean the fruit and ensure hygiene standards are maintained, as well as adequate power supply to keep your machines running.

You may want to consider the outskirts of a town where land prices aren’t too high, and the necessary amenities aren’t too far off.

During the drying process, ensure your workers are trained on proper hygiene in the factory, cover their hair at all times and ensure they’re disease-free. Once you go commercial, you’ll need licences to prove your business is observing the proper standards.

4. Water supply and sanitation

You’ll require lots of flowing or tap water for washing the fruits. You can use borehole water, but wary of using water from lakes or rivers as it may be contaminated.

Schedule checks on water quality and keep records. You can use chlorine to treat the water you use for sterilisation.

5. Competition

Don’t overlook your competitors. Do your research before investing in a dried fruits business in your area to see what the competition looks like and what the market need is.

You can learn from the businesses that have launched dried fruits and hit retail shelves. However, come up with your own plan and strategy to stand out.

6. Market your fruit

Marketing plays a central role in any business. However, when it comes to the dried fruits business, your ability to market your brand can be the deciding factor between barely making it and achieving industry success.

The easiest way to gain brand recognition is to sponsor giveaways on food blogs. You can also have your products sampled at craft fairs, send samples with orders or hand out samples at food markets.

You could also launch a website that includes clear photos of your products, recipe suggestions, information regarding your certification as a food manufacturer, and a list of places where people can buy your dried fruit.