Ekumfi Fruits and Juices Limited, a Ghanaian fruit juice company which specializes in the manufacturing of locally-made fruit juices from mango, passion fruit, citrus, pineapple and ginger, is about exporting its products to the US, UK and Dubai markets.
From the Ekumfi Abor district in the Central Region, its Director of Operations, told The Herald’s Gifty Akoto and other journalists, that the move forms part of the expansion strategy of the company, as well as the demand for pure unadulterated pineapple juice in those markets.
“We have done all the preparatory work and are now working on our export documents and by the middle of the year we will begin exporting to those markets,” Frederick Kobbyna Acquaah, stated.
Mr Acquaah who took journalists round the pineapple farms of the company to acquaint themselves with the operations and the production processes, said the opportunity to enter the US, UK, as well as the Dubai markets would help sell Ghana on the international market.
He said the company had more than 3000 acres of pineapple in cultivation.
The farms which are the company’s own pineapple farms are located at Obri in the Gomoa West, Ekumfi Sardo near Otuam and Ekumfi Edumafa.
Mr Acquaah, disclosed that the farms were being expanded and the intention was to increase the farms to 6,000 acres and subsequently to 12,000 to meet the increasing demand for pineapples by the factory and the sustainability of the company.
“The new market we have found in the US, UK, and Dubai have also necessitated the need to increase our farms,” Mr Acquaah stated.
He dismissed some media reports that the company had collapsed, and told journalists to put an end to publishing false news which tarnishes the image of Ekumfi Fruit Juice.
Mr Acquaah explained that the company has not shut down, saying the company produced based on demand to maximize economies of scale.
“Whatever we produced has already been sold,” Mr Acquaah said.
He said the company currently produced five varieties of ‘Eku Juice’ and plans were made to introduce three additional variants.
He explained that the factory established at a cost of US$20 million under the One District, One Factory initiative had the capacity to process ten tones of pineapple per hour which translated to four acres of pineapple fruits.
He said the company had more than 1000 workers who mostly were on the farms, adding that the factory had more than 75 professionals.
Asked what motivated to establish the multi-million dollar factory, Mr Acquaah, said it has been his dream and those of his partners who are indigenes of Central Region and products of University of Cape Coast for the past 25 years.
They had thought of a business to create employment for youth and improve socio-economic conditions of the region and beyond.
He said the establishment of the factory had helped to create jobs and improve the economy of the area in which the factory was established and the country as a whole.
As part of the programme, Mr Acquaah took the journalists round the $10 million Central Citrus Processing Limited at Abura Aseibua in the Abura Aseibua Kwamankese District.
Mr Acquaah, said that the Central Citrus Processing Limited is being mentored by Ekumfi juice.
The factory would process citrus oil from peels of oranges for export, while Ekumfi Fruits and Juices Limited used the pulp for citrus juice.
He said the factory was located in a citrus production enclave and would help address the post-harvest losses of the citrus produced in the area and boost the economies of towns around the factory.
On corporate social Responsibility, Mr Acquaah, said the company was delivering on its corporate social responsibility.
He cited the award of scholarships to various students to train in entrepreneurship and also in the universities. The company has also provided sanitation facilities to communities in the catchment area.
The Ekumfi Fruits and Juices Limited, was established in 2019 under the One District, One Factory initiative by the Akufo-Addo government.
