COMPANY – NUTRI-DENSE AGRO FOOD PROCESSING

FOUNDER: ALEM GREILING

INSPIRATION TO START THE BUSINESS:
As a nutrition advisor, I observed that our community is not always used to consuming healthy and nutritious foods. Although it is a challenge to make a change in the long-standing habits of Ethiopians, I felt I need to make a start. 

BACKGROUND OF FOUNDER:
Alem has a chemistry and food engineering background. Above all, she has the passion and commitment to make this business succeed.

DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS ACTIVITIES:
Nutri-Dense processes and provides affordable, organic nutritious foods to a growing health-conscious urban population and targets malnutrition reduction through providing these materials to school children as well. The company is also focused on using food production to rural employment and improving the livelihood of farmers.

Years in Operation: 3 years
Number of staff: permanent 4 temporary 3

KEY CHALLENGES:
Lack of foreign currency to buy machineries which are not available in the country.

SOCIAL IMPACT:
The company products contribute to reduction of malnutrition by implementing a value chain for local crops to produce nutritious and high value food. The objective is for these products to be consumed as complementary food mainly by children. Nutri-Dense is a company which seeks to promote local agricultural and healthy food production in cooperation with smallholder farmers by transforming healthy and nutritious crops into ready-to-eat food products.

FUTURE EXPANSION PLANS:
Currently, the company operates at a small scale, but expects to expand in the near future.

FUNDING REQUEST
ATO Up to 500,000 Birr (demand for the products is high, but supply is very low)
Amount of Financing Needed (USD) $100,000 USD