Chrematin Agro seeks partnership with Del Monte
A Ghanaian agro company, Chrematin Agro of the Groupe Chrematin, is seeking to partner an Arab giant, Del Monte, a fresh fruit manufacturing company, to supply it with fruits from its farm in the Afram Plains in the Eastern Region.
Del Monte is into fresh mango, pineapple, orange and apple processing. It currently sources fresh fruits from Egypt and Kenya in Africa and from other European and South American countries as well as Australia.
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Chrematin Agro
If successful, Chrematin Agro will be the first company in West Africa to supply the company with fresh fruits.
During a discussion at the company’s manufacturing facility in Dubai after a facility tour by a Ghanaian delegation to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), led by the Minister of Food and Agriculture, Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto, the Ghanaian company was asked to submit samples of its fruits for analysis and possible acceptance.
The Chief Operation Officer of Groupe Chrematin, Mr Kwadwo Kyeremateng, explained that he had visited the UAE to assess the market potential of fresh fruits and possibility of partnering a manufacturing company such as Del Monte.
“Our goal and intention is to try and find companies like yours to work with,” he told the General Manager of the Del Monte, Mr Ahmad Nasri, adding that his company was interested in knowing what a company must do to be able to work with Del Monte.
Taking the delegation through best practices, Mr Nasri said his company was capable of taking delivery of whatever quantity but stressed on quality, consistency and the transit time.
Infrastructure
He emphasised the need for a grower to have adequate infrastructure and facility to be able to export the products, stressing that even though Ghana was a potential destination in the sub-region for the supply of fresh fruits to Del Monte, the issue of consistency and ability to deliver on demand were key.
Mr Nasri, who had earlier conducted the delegation round his production line, hinted that Del Monte was looking for an existing manufacturing company in Ghana that would be given the franchise to “produce this brand and distribute it in Ghana as well as other West African countries”.
He said for instance that his company had been supplying huge quantities of fresh fruit juice to Nigeria and Senegal, saying that it would be easier producing it in the sub-region for distribution.
Commitment
In a comment, Dr Akoto said the government was committed to creating the investment environment for such partnerships.
He gave an assurance that his office would liaise with the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre to invite officials from Del Monte to visit Ghana for further discussions “so that we can put a value to this discussion.”
Dr Akoto acknowledged that as individual companies, “they do not have the capacity. So, as government, we are prepared to play the facilitating role. This is something that we want to take up with you.”
He commended Del Monte for the quality of its fruit juice and said he was confident that the discussion would yield good fruits.