EBRD and EU support leading organic food producer in the Kyrgyz Republic

We stay in a world of selection. We select what espresso we drink, what we eat for lunch and what sort of media content material we devour. We’re inundated with info, and it’s not at all times straightforward to make the correct decisions.

Jamilya Imankulova is likely one of the founders of EcoFarm, a number one producer of natural meals within the Kyrgyz Republic. Her enterprise is all about selection. EcoFarm produces and processes quite a lot of natural meals merchandise, together with nut butters, berries, dried fruits, granola and dairy merchandise. 

“The primary purpose of EcoFarm is to develop natural agricultural merchandise,” Jamilya says. “We now have been extremely formidable in making an attempt to indicate individuals the advantages of natural and wholesome meals. The primary idea of our firm is aware consumption and holistic diet. We began our enterprise with the door-to-door supply of natural bins of contemporary, natural meals produced by native farmers. Later, we determined to create a worth chain to the ultimate product to make sure that we have been providing purely natural meals. We, due to this fact, created EcoFarm, the place we plant greens and berries and develop nearly all kinds of fruit tree.”  

E-commerce instruments for natural groceries

Jamilya’s staff first benefited from European Financial institution for Reconstruction and Improvement (EBRD) consultancy providers earlier than the pandemic, again in 2019.  The corporate managed to enhance its market efficiency by growing a buyer relationship administration (CRM) programme, put in with the help of the Recommendation for Small Companies programme, supported by the European Union.

Later, through the Covid-19 lockdowns of 2020, the system helped EcoFarm to succeed in shoppers and promote the web supply of eco-friendly groceries. It boosted firm turnover and elevated labour productiveness by nearly 50 per cent.  

Recommendation for Small Companies subsequently helped EcoFarm to develop a franchising technique in 2020-21. The EBRD paired the corporate with a guide who suggested it to share its expertise and develop long-term relationships with native and overseas franchisees. Inside a 12 months, EcoFarm had offered a franchise, which operates within the southern a part of the capital, Bishkek.

Lately, nevertheless, EcoFarm determined to vary its construction, closing two offline shops so as to concentrate on growing an internet store, in addition to shop-in-shop idea shops in common hypermarket chains reminiscent of Frunze and Globus.

“Sadly, we have been denied the idea of getting our personal franchises, regardless that we had three offline and one on-line retailers,” Jamilya says. “It was not economically viable to assist our personal franchise chain, however we’re pleased with the expertise.”

EcoFarm now gives a full vary of natural merchandise in the primary hypermarkets and focuses extra on processing and producing natural meals. It looks as if a win-win idea; EcoFarm will get a big circulate of consumers and the hypermarkets get to supply an natural line of produce. The corporate additionally gives catering providers, holds seminars on diet and organises outside actions, reminiscent of picnics or yoga lessons, on its eco-farm in Baitik village, close to Bishkek.

“Our mission is to supply the entire lovely style of our life-giving meals to shoppers and to assist small-scale farmers,” Jamilya says. “I’m actually joyful that my work has allowed me to each comply with this ardour and construct an inspiring enterprise.”