Smiley’z Mobile Kitchen
Description
Smiley’z Mobile Kitchen is a food processing company with the goal of reducing post-harvest losses in the agricultural sector. Tomato grows very well in Kaduna State in Nigeria where the company is located but its seasonal nature means it is surplus at some points and scarce at other times of the year. Smiley’z Mobile Kitchen’s business model is to maximize the 4-5 months when it is in season and cheap, to sell at a constant price year-round. The company’s first product was Smiley’z Tomato paste which is 100% tomatoes with no additives or preservatives and has a 1-year shelf life.
Market Opportunity/ Problem
Smiley’z Mobile Kitchen discovered a gap in the tomato value chain, where there is either so much and cheap, or scarce and expensive. Through research the team discovered that some of the loss is encountered in transportation, but mostly (60%), is due to poor processing and storage. By tackling processing and storage means that the company can reduce scarcity of the product, bring down the prices and ensure people have good quality tomatoes year round.
Company Information
Years of operation
3
Type of organization
Private company
Stage of the business
Growth stage
Agribusiness focus
Value addition/ processing
Agriculture value chain(s) focus?
Food crops
Primary country of operation
Nigeria
Other country(ies) of operation
N/A
How many employees does your business have?
8
Does the business have more than 30% women ownership?
Yes
Does the business have more than 30% youth ownership (under 35 years)?
Yes
Financing and expansion overview
How much capital is the company currently fundraising (US$)?
50k-500k
What is the split between equity and debt?
N/A