Ethiopian honey value chains become stronger

2019-04-16T12:20:33+00:00August 2nd, 2017|Tags: , , , , |

ProFound and its partners SNV, Enclude and EAB are developing solutions together with processors in Ethiopia to improve the quality of their honey. Some solutions only require strict application of Standard Operating Procedures within the processing facility. Other solutions require intense cooperation with beekeepers. See our story on organic honey from Ethiopia to learn more about our work with beekeepers in Ethiopia. During a training by ProFound's consultant Kasper Kerver, processors and supporting institutions such as the Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries and the Agricultural Transformation Agency learned how honey exporters can set and meet quality expectations of their (international) buyers. [Read more]

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BioFach 2017: The Organic Africa Pavilion celebrates African diversity

2019-04-12T15:11:43+00:00February 24th, 2017|Tags: , , , , |

In the second year of the Organic Africa Pavilion at BioFach, ProFound brought a mix of African culture and professionalism. The pavilion’s 15 exhibitors from Ethiopia, Ghana, Senegal, Burkina Faso, Zimbabwe and Mozambique displayed high-quality organic ingredients, including baobab, honey, cocoa, coffee, fresh papaya, desert date oil, neem oil and dried mango. Our authentic Ethiopian coffee ceremony, organised with the Ethiopian consulate, attracted visitors and energised business-making. The participants of the Organic Africa Pavilion had excellent visibility at BioFach, and the response from visitors was inspiring. We reached more than 750 business contacts during the 4 days, of which 65% [Read more]

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Ethiopian organic honey & beeswax enter European market

2018-02-22T10:31:26+00:00February 21st, 2017|Tags: , , , , , |

With support of ProFound, Ethiopian honey processors in the ASPIRE programme made great progress over the past three years. They set up organic certified supply chains, installed processing equipment, imported drums for packaging and tackled other export and quality problems in the challenging Ethiopian business environment. COMEL, Yerkisho and Zembaba Union managed to export their first containers of organic certified honey to Europe. These exports are good news for their beekeepers who benefit tremendously from the honey trade. From February 12 to 19, four Ethiopian honey processors and several government representatives visited Germany for a trade mission organised by ProFound. [Read more]

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Stakeholders meeting results in 18 action points to develop the Ethiopian Honey sector

2019-04-12T15:33:42+00:00October 25th, 2016|Tags: , , , , |

The main stakeholders in the Ethiopian honey sector committed to an action plan for the sector in a meeting organised by ProFound and SNV. The resulting 18 action points address issues ranging from problems with out-grower schemes to opportunities for quality improvement. This type of sector action planning is a huge improvement from the independent, fragmented actions of the stakeholders in previous years. It has the potential to transform the honey sector into one of the most profitable agribusiness sectors of the country. The stakeholders have taken responsibility for their tasks and agreed to commit their resources for timely delivery of [Read more]

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PF brokerage service delivers steel drum packaging for Ethiopian honey suppliers

2016-11-01T16:27:56+00:00August 4th, 2016|Tags: , , |

After ProFound brokered a deal for the supply of steel drums to Ethiopia, the first container with drums for honey packaging arrived at the processing company Babichi. The empty drums came from ProFound’s partner in Europe who is interested in supplying drums in return for quality honey. The drums are crucial for Babichi and other Ethiopian honey suppliers to successfully export to Europe, because many European buyers only accept honey packed in steel drums. The use of plastic drums poses a higher risk of quality deterioration during transport and storage and they may collapse when stacked. ProFound studied various options [Read more]

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Making high quality products for Europe

2016-11-01T16:27:56+00:00June 9th, 2016|Tags: , , , , , , |

ProFound consultant Kasper Kerver prepared ten Ethiopian entrepreneurs for their exports to international markets. He coached honey, pulses and seeds producers on quality and Food Safety Management and what international buyers expect from them. During the training, Kasper Kerver explained international buyers’ specific requirements for high quality products and Food Safety Management. The participants exercised with HACCP planning and received recommendations on their options for certification. Food Safety Management is a critical bottleneck to export honey, pulses and seeds to international markets. Many Ethiopian producers understand that international buyers want ‘high quality’ products, but don’t know exactly what they mean by that. [Read more]

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Ethiopian honey processors prepare orders

2016-10-11T12:42:29+00:00March 23rd, 2015|Tags: , , , |

Following their successful participation in BioFach and Gulfood with support from ProFound, Ethiopian honey processors are preparing orders from their buyers. During a visit to Ethiopia in March, ProFound gave advice to these processors on their action plans. While sourcing of honey during the next harvest season in May is already on their radar, processors still need to secure steel drums for the export of this honey. In cooperation with several processors and the Ethiopian Apiculture Board, ProFound is consolidating orders for cost-efficient import of steel drums to address this potential bottleneck. With many new inexperienced exporters entering the sector, [Read more]

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Bringing Ethiopian honey and beeswax to Biofach

2016-11-01T16:28:08+00:00February 23rd, 2015|Tags: , , , |

Biofach, the world’s largest trade fair for organic food, set the stage for the first trade fair participation of five Ethiopian honey processors, supported by ProFound. These companies are ready to start exporting honey to Europe: the trade fair in Nürnberg was the first, very successful, step to find buyers for their honey. We found an overwhelming interest in honey and beeswax from Ethiopia. On average, the exhibitors collected 25-30 business leads per company. We also brought four additional honey processors to the trade fair in Nürnberg for a study tour. Though not yet ready for exports, these companies are [Read more]

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Trade Fair Season

2016-10-11T12:43:37+00:00January 21st, 2015|Tags: , , , |

ProFound is very excited to participate in major trade fairs during the coming months! Our journey starts in Biofach, Germany, where five Ethiopian honey processors who we have supported, are ready to start supplying the European market. They will exhibit their products on ProFound’s Ethiopia pavilion. With our help, more Ethiopian honey processors have the chance to visit Biofach and to get introduced thoroughly to the European honey market. Next to that, our company will be contributing to the works of Gulfood, in Dubai, one of the world’s largest trade fairs for the food and hospitality industries. After a long [Read more]

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Ethiopia goes to Biofach

2016-11-01T16:28:08+00:00November 26th, 2014|Tags: , , , |

ProFound will bring 8 Ethiopian honey processors to Biofach 2015! Their participation is a reward for their outstanding progress through our Market Access Facilitation programme. This programme is one of the major components of ASPIRE, a honey sector development programme of ProFound and its partners SNV, Enclude and the Ethiopian Apiculture Board. During two years of intensive cooperation between ASPIRE partners and honey processors, ProFound audited these processors, educated them about European honey markets and prepared them for market entry. The processors developed marketing strategies and improved their capacities accordingly. At Biofach, 3 processors will be given a chance to [Read more]

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