Malawi Mangoes

Malawi Mangoes, established in 2009, operates as a significant agro-processing entity in Malawi, focusing on the cultivation, processing, and export of tropical fruits. The company was co-founded by Jonathan Jacobs, a former venture capital lawyer, and Craig Hardie, who had a background in international development. The idea originated when Hardie, during a holiday in Malawi, observed the vast quantities of unharvested mangoes and saw an opportunity to create the country's first fruit processing industry.

The company employs an integrated business model that combines its own commercial farms with a robust outgrower program. This dual-sourcing strategy involves cultivating mangoes on its Rainforest Alliance certified plantations and partnering with approximately 5,000 smallholder farmers. Malawi Mangoes provides training and grafts improved fruit varieties onto local trees to increase yield and quality, then guarantees the purchase of the fruit. This model was designed to create a reliable supply chain for its processing facility while providing a stable income for local communities, where formal employment opportunities are scarce. Revenue is generated through the bulk export of fresh and dried mango products to international markets, including Europe, the Middle East, and India.

The company's primary products are fresh and dried mangoes. It cultivates five different mango varieties, including Alphonso and Tommy Atkins, allowing for an extended harvest season from October to March. The processing occurs at a 10,000-square-meter, certified facility in Salima. For fresh exports, mangoes undergo a hot water treatment, a phytosanitary measure required by export markets, before being graded, packed, and shipped. The dried mango product, which constitutes the majority of sales, is processed without added sugars or concentrates and exported in bulk. Initially, the company also produced not-from-concentrate (NFC) fruit puree, but later shifted focus to fresh and dried fruit due to higher profitability.

Significant milestones include establishing their first farm in 2013 and making the first commercial export of dried mango to the EU in 2018. The company has steadily increased its processing capacity and achieved certifications such as Global GAP and SMETA II, underscoring its commitment to quality and ethical standards. By 2021, the company harvested and processed over 3,000 metric tons of mangoes in a single season. The business provides year-round employment for 200 people and seasonal work for an additional 1,200, with women making up 40% of the workforce.

Keywords: agro-processing, mango export, smallholder farmer integration, sustainable agriculture, dried fruit production, fresh fruit export, food processing, social impact business, African agriculture, tropical fruit supply chain, rural development, impact sourcing, agribusiness Malawi, community outreach, value chain development, Global GAP certified, export-oriented agriculture, Salima, Jonathan Jacobs, Craig Hardie