By
MUKAMWIZA Honoree, Bsc FST
Managing Director Local Cheese Promotion Ltd
CHAP 1. BACKGROUND OF THE COMPANY
The background of the Local cheese Promotion Ltd is
composed of the following:
 Business drivers
 Nature of the business
 Capital investment
 Target market
 Turnover
I. Business drivers
 Cheese making in Rwanda is still at low and informal
level
 Cheese processed in Rwanda get spoilt fast and this
causes considerable losses to the processors.
 Lack of practical skills and knowledge for existing
cheese processors.
 Small market for hard cheese on the Rwandan market.
 Employment opportunity to young people
II. Nature of the business
 Local Cheese Promotion Ltd is an agro- processing
company,
 It has the aim of processing Local Gouda Cheese into a
higher healthy cheese.
 The nutritive values of our cheese are 28% fat, 14.5%
proteins, 1.8% calcium and other minerals.
 It is well packed, ready to eat and with an extended shelf
life.
III. Capital investment
 Grant from Rwanda Innovation Endowment Fund
(RIEF) of US $50,000 equivalent to 31M RWF
 It will be received in 3 installments and invested in
three phases.
 Current investment in place is US$30,000 (18M RWF)
as first installment.
IV. Target market
 Our target market is the dairy products consumers
specifically cheese consumers who like medium fat
cheese (KRAFT cheese)
 Super markets, restaurants and bars
 Hotels, shops and bakeries in Rwanda
v. Turnover
 The company’s current annual turnover is estimated to
be US$10,000 by processing 120kg per month.
 This turnover is expected to increase as the company
grows and gets more markets as we have the capacity
to produce 440kg per month and this could give
annual turnover of US$35,000
CHAP 2. IMPACT AND SOCIAL BENEFITS
 A solution for dairy products consumers as our cheese
is a fully natural, safe, nutritive and healthy product
(28% fat, 14.5% proteins, 1.8% calcium and other
minerals)
 extended shelf-life of 4 months
 Packaged in an environmental friendly plastic material
which facilitates transport and storage
Cont’
 It is sold at an affordable price of US$0.8/100gr
compared to the imported cheese which is sold at
US$1.9/100gr
 The company contributes to the capacity building of
uncompetitive youth and fresh graduates lacking
experience through provision of internship
 We provide regular market to local cheese producers.
Cont’
 The company has offered job to 7 young people.
 It is a model of small scale enterprises achieved by a
young entrepreneur
 We cooperate with the Ministry of Education in
sensitizing the youth to join agri-business through
different Radio and TV presentations
CHAP 3.CHALLENGES AND STRATEGIES TO
OVERCOME
1.
Lack of financial means
 Like other young entrepreneurs, Local cheese promotion also
faced the same challenge at the beginning which resulted in
its closure for a couple of years (May 2012 to August 2013).
 To over come this we participated in competition by Rwanda
Innovation Endowment Fund(RIEF) and we won a grant of
US$50,000
CONT’
2. High cost and shortage of Electricity and water
 As solution to this, the company has installed a water
tank and is planning to install power generators.
3. Lack of reliable market due Rwandan cultural
food habits
 The company has started a campaign to promote
public awareness about the health benefits of
processed cheese and this will eventually attract more
consumers and hence increased market
CONT’
4. Lack of strong property rights policy
 This facilitates someone to copy your innovation
 To reduce on this, the company will open a research
and development department which will continuously
introduce new products to always compete and sustain
the market.
4. HOW TO ATTRACT AND RETAIN YOUTH IN AGROPROCESSING BUSINESS
With the partnership of all the stakeholders i.e. Government,
youth, financial institutions and NGO’s the following can
attract more:
 Providing entrepreneurship training to the youth
 They should be taught to do well presentable business plans
to attract banks and all other funding institutions
 They should be guided and supervised on how to start small
scale business with low financial means
CONT’
 Different presentations and shows on Radios and
Televisions on agriculture should be reinforced
 More Seminars, agri-business forums and business
development centers should be organized and set up
respectively.
 More Doing business reforms should be made to
create a conducive environment for investors.
CONT’
 More funds should be allocated in agri-business
 The government of Rwanda should sensitize the youth
about the opportunities in agri-business
 Both universities and institutions should change
student’s mindset.
END
THANK YOU
FOR YOUR KIND ATTENTION.