Laying the foundations for a dried fruit sector

The challenge

Angola has the climate to grow pineapple and mango for drying, but little experience of processing for export. Before anyone invested in factories or certification, the sector needed a clear view of what export-ready dried fruit requires along the Lobito Corridor.

What we did

• Assessed production, processing, food safety, management, logistics and certification options.
• Ran a sector workshop in Benguela with farmers, processors, banks, logistics firms, public bodies and buyers.
• Sent dried fruit samples to EU importers for feedback on quality.
• Drew up a phased plan for developing the sector.

Results

• More than 80 stakeholders took part, more than expected.
• New processors identified that had not been mapped before.
• EU importers showed early interest in Angolan dried pineapple and named the quality gaps to close.
• A phased roadmap agreed: foundations first, then certification and export at scale.