In the bustling city of Bujumbura, Burundi, is located FRUITO LLC, a local juice processing company. Established in the early 1980s by local entrepreneurs, FRUITO started out as a passion fruit juice processor and grew their operations to include other fruits including mangoes, pineapples and orange supplied by local farmers from various neighboring provinces.
However, by 2008, the company faced a host of obstacles that hindered its growth. Operating at a mere 27% of its processing capacity, FRUITO grappled with several challenges: the shortage of fruits during dry seasons, limited storage space, and inadequate production capacity hampered its progress. Moreover, transportation hurdles hindered the smooth movement of raw materials from farms to processing centers. In the face of these challenges, FRUITO needed a transformational solution.
In 2008, FRUITO were awarded a USADF grant of US$250K to enhance FRUITO's juice processing capacity and elevate the socio-economic conditions of both its employees and the local farmer communities.
Using this funding, FRUITO recruited essential technical personnel, including an accountant, marketing manager, and internal quality control supervisor. Their efforts focused on streamlining financial management, boosting market sales, and maintaining impeccable sanitation standards. To address the infrastructure and processing challenges, FRUITO revitalized its facilities and procured modern processing equipment. These included a cold room, deep freezers, generator, juice processing equipment, and packaging machinery. They also ensured a consistent supply of raw materials by covering transportation costs for collecting fruits from various provinces. The company also extended its impact by establishing passion fruit nurseries and providing training to farmers, encouraging the cultivation of quality produce.