Diane Hoffman's Kenyan Adventure!
Last August, we announced that Diane Hoffman, creative manager at the J.M Smucker Co., had won PFS’ Trip to Africa campaign based on her contributions as a volunteer and being an active recruiter at her company. We’re excited to share highlights from Diane’s visit to Kenya last month!
During her trip she visited several PFS clients, including the dairy companies Caritas Dairy and Wimssy Dairy; honey and nut processor Bee-Care Apiaries International and macadamia nut processor, Exotic EPZ Limited. She toured their various facilities, met with some staff and observed their production and packaging processes. She also visited a local design studio, Pipo Brands Design Studio, that PFS collaborates with. With her design background and experience, she was also able to discuss challenges and opportunities in package design with the clients during the visits.
“Meeting the clients was incredibly meaningful, as it allowed me to gain a comprehensive understanding of their operations and impact. I developed a deeper appreciation for their contributions to local farmers and communities, as well as the various ways PFS is empowering them to succeed in areas beyond my discipline,” Diane said.
One key observation she made was the difference in scale and technology between Kenya’s food industry and the U.S. While U.S. facilities tend to be larger and more automated, many Kenyan businesses rely on labor-intensive, traditional methods. She was also impressed by the broader impact of these businesses, from job creation to environmental sustainability. “I was pleasantly surprised to see other aspects of the food process being addressed at the facilities, such as a tailor sewing beekeeper suits and employees crafting beehives at Bee-Care, rather than outsourcing these tasks or handling them at separate facilities,” she shared. Another key takeaway was the power of individual volunteering. Even without deep expertise in certain fields, Diane saw firsthand how volunteers' contributions can make a meaningful difference.
It wasn’t all just work though! She spent time with the PFS team in Kenya, went on a tour of a coffee farm and visited the Nairobi National Park and the Giraffe Manor. “Thank you PFS for this incredible opportunity. The experience has given me countless memories and invaluable insights that will greatly enhance my future volunteer work,” Diane said.
We are glad Diane had a wonderful experience and are grateful to volunteers like her who continue to make a difference to our clients!
The Apprentice: Jimmy Cherutoi
Jimmy Cherutoi’s apprenticeship with Limuru Dairy in Kenya gave him the opportunity to take on meaningful projects that expanded his skills and confidence. One striking example was when he was tasked with designing and sizing an efficient chilling system for their factory. It was daunting to him as a newcomer, but he succeeded at it with guidance from PFS volunteers.
Through the apprenticeship, he also developed skills in production utilities maintenance, machine design, fabrication, and installation. He learned how to draft standard operating procedures and gained insights into food safety management systems like HACCP. His mentorship with General Mills’ Lisa Wacek also stood out as an incredible learning journey which he will never forget. The entire experience strengthened his resolve to be a renowned mechanical engineering expert. We wish Jimmy the very best in his career!
The Apprentice: Kenneth Odjamgba
After graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in Food Process Engineering from the University of Ghana, Kenneth Odjamgba was placed as an apprentice with PFS client Macks Commodities Ltd in 2022.
Kenneth served as a quality assurance officer during his apprenticeship. The apprenticeship provided him with first-hand insight into quality management and production processes, which aligned perfectly with his academic background.
He also developed leadership and organizational skills, and gained a deeper understanding of how standards and processes are implemented in the food processing industry to ensure consumer safety.
With the guidance of his supervisors, who entrusted him with challenging tasks and offered professional support, Kenneth grew both personally and professionally.
He was also mentored by General Mills’ volunteer Andres Felipe Ruiz who offered him guidance in food product development and helped him navigate real-world projects. After his apprenticeship ended, Kenneth was retained full-time by Macks Industries, where he has continued to grow and make an impact!
Fun fact: Kenneth and another former PFS apprentice, Papa Essel Opoku (pictured below), developed the recipe for Macks Commodities’ new fufu flour blend!
PFS Helps Ghanaian Client Find Inspiration 6,000 miles Away From Home
The work we do at PFS often leads to incredible stories of collaboration. One such story unfolded recently when AgriAccess Ltd, one of our newest clients, visited the United States with a goal in mind: to learn from one of the most advanced sorghum milling operations in the world.
AgriAccess is a Ghanaian company that is deeply committed to transforming the lives of smallholder sorghum farmers in northern Ghana. As the number one supplier of sorghum to Guinness Ghana Breweries Limited, they support over 5,000 of these farmers by creating sustainable markets and improving food security.
Sorghum is an ancient grain, believed to have originated in Africa over 5,000 years ago. After rice, wheat, maize and barley, sorghum is the world’s fifth-most important cereal crop. It is a versatile grain that has several agricultural, industrial and culinary uses. It is gluten-free; contains dietary fiber, protein, and micronutrients such as iron, magnesium, and B-vitamins and is rich in carbohydrates, making it an excellent energy source. Across Africa, sorghum is used to prepare various porridges, snacks, breads and beverages. AgriAccess’ new focus is on processing the sorghum into flour, to feed communities and further strengthen local economies.
While on a visit to family in Georgia, AgriAccess’ Managing Director Prosper Achulo and his team shared their interest in visiting a sorghum mill in the U.S. PFS staff members Staci Seibold and Brian Tregilgas sprang into action. They reached out to our partners at Ardent Mills, who graciously invited the AgriAccess team to tour their state-of-the-art sorghum mill in North Dakota.
The visit was an overwhelming success. During their time at Ardent Mills, Prosper and his team gained invaluable insights into advanced milling techniques, best practices, and innovative processes that could be applied to their operations in Ghana. The exchange of knowledge wasn’t one-sided—Ardent Mills staff were equally inspired by Prosper’s mission-driven approach and his dedication to empowering smallholder farmers.
It also showcased one of the unique (and rare!) ways that PFS connects food entrepreneurs with the expertise and resources they need to scale their impact.
In a heartfelt message following the visit, Prosper shared his gratitude: "The experience was truly valuable, offering us significant insights and practical knowledge that will greatly enhance our operations and inspire new innovations within our organization. The knowledge shared by the Ardent Mills team and the engaging discussions provided us with a deeper understanding of best practices in food processing—essential insights for the growth and long-term sustainability of our business.”
Moments like this remind us that the future of food lies in collaboration - across communities, borders and industries, and by fostering these connections, PFS can help build stronger, more resilient food systems that benefit everyone.
The Story of SITRAV: A Journey from Grinding Stones to Grocery Shelves
“Sheer determination and a series of fortunate events have brought us here”
Madam Glawdis Yao and Monsieur Ngouan Beni Kouame met as young students in university in Abidjan, Cöte d’Ivoire. After some years of courting, the two got married and started their lives together. Glawdis found a job in administration, while Monsieur Beni, with his background in food safety, went on to work with agro-processor OLAM. It was this background in food processing that gave him the idea to set up their own company: SITRAV.
Chili peppers are a mainstay of Ivorian cuisine, but the traditional process of grinding the pepper with a stone was not only tiresome, but inefficient. The mashed pepper would typically have stones and grains of sand in it. The couple decided to start making their own ready-to-use spices. SITRAV began with them milling pepper and spices in the local market and manually filling and bagging it in sachets. It was an intense, tasking process, that yielded only the equivalent of $8 after a full, fourteen-hour day of work.
They needed a breakthrough. A chance publication in a pan-African magazine by a journalist who had purchased their product and loved it led to SITRAV receiving their first flurry of attention. In 2019, they were invited to take part in a competition for entrepreneurs which earned them their first tranche of funding to expand their processing. They participated in further contests which led to more visibility and more capital to invest in their business, allowing them to fully convert their home into a full-time production facility. Now they had the foundations in place. It was time to focus on the technical.
This is where PFS came in, offering the expertise that helps small and medium business like SITRAV to scale. Since 2022, PFS has paired SITRAV with volunteers from its corporate partners on several business and technical projects, as well as mentorships for staff and management. PFS has also placed apprentices who have had a year-long immersion with the company. Two of them have been offered contracts after their stint.
Some of the projects have included a plant layout and modification project that has left regulators and visitors impressed. Another project with a General Mills volunteer helped them understand their business model which laid out the need for them to buy surplus raw materials when prices are low to store for production throughout the year. The project also helped them deepen their understanding of their margins and profit. A Cargill volunteer also helped them on a shelf-life extension project, which led to fewer complaints from suppliers, allowed SITRAV to expand their distribution and gave them access to supply mainstream grocery stores. Additional projects include a Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) documentation project after which they have successfully passed 3 GMP audits. They are currently working on a Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) project in the hopes of attaining certification, which will allow them supply bigger companies and multinationals, resulting in a huge impact on their turnover.
SITRAV’s client lead, Bühler’s Marc Zipperle, finds them a dedicated and willing client. "SITRAV is working very hard every day trying to expand their business, make a living, and follow their vision. They have an entrepreneurial spirit that creates value in the community, and it feels great to support and be part of it. SITRAV is dedicated – they literally tore down a wall in the production facility to optimize their production processes.”
Marc says he also benefits from this volunteer experience. “I find the idea of how PFS works very cool. It is a great idea at its core and a pragmatic approach for scaling know-how access for smaller businesses. Also, the cultural exchange is great. I had no previous ties to Côte d’Ivoire and West Africa. Now I do, and having a frequent exchange is a great personal learning experience as well! The client lead role is a role where you can learn a lot from actual experts. You are part of different projects that require different skill sets. I am currently learning a lot about GMPs and HACCP in more detail.”
Today, SITRAV has 20 full-time employees, and 15 temporary staff. In addition to their natural powdered pepper, they also sell other local spices.