Prioritize Quality and Efficiency to Attract Major Supermarkets – Startups urged
Founder of Kwafre Farms and 2018 National Best Farmer, James Boateng, has urged local farmers and agri-processors to work at producing quality crops and products. He said this would improve their chances at having their products listed in major supermarkets across the country and globe.
He said, even though major supermarkets are not obligated to list local products on their shelves, local products can still break in if they are of high quality and fit into the market demands of the supermarkets.
“We need to remind ourselves that it is a free market situation we operate in, and there is an extent to which these regulators can do some enforcements… I think it is basically about persistence. Sometimes we assume that if you walk into Shoprite and you have a locally produced product, because it is South African [firm], the perception is that they bring majority of their products from South Africa, [so] they cannot list local products,” he said.
Background
In Ghana, many agribusiness owners continue to complain about limited acceptance of local products in major supermarkets in the country and abroad. In a survey conducted by International advisory firm, Konfidants in a 2019, only 18% of made in Ghana goods are sold in Ghana’s leading supermarkets. The figure however went up to 26% in 2020.
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This situation, many Ghanaian entrepreneurs believe, is as result of lack of reception for local products by the supermarkets. However, Mr. Boateng says, having good sales pitch and quality products will help local agribusiness firms have their products listed.
“Approach them, but don’t approach them with a long story. At the end of the day, quality speaks for itself. If you are able to do your sales talk, and if you are able to give them the right information and package what you want to sell, it will give you a good sell. The representation [of local products] is pathetic, but quality sells,” he advised.
He added, “Most of these big multinationals are not just interested in what they buy and stock. Sometimes they have in mind the social contract, and they would love to work with small farmers doing the right thing. Just make sure you have the right quality, the right mindset, and the right confidence to be able to go in.”
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