Facilitating access to safe products builds a healthy community

 A local retailer implements a multifaceted action plan to promote and ensure access to safe fruits and vegetables

Aliments is a Phnom Penh-based retail market established in 2016 that specializes in safe agricultural products, including vegetables, fruit, meat, rice, and other consumable goods. Addressing the growing demand for safe food, the retail market offers both fresh and processed products with various certified safety standards ranging from organic, chemical-free, good agricultural practices (GAP), good manufacturing practices (GMP), hazard analysis critical control point (HACCP), and ISO22000. Envisioning a community with convenient access to organic and safe products, Aliments is actively working on improving its supply chain by focusing on production, distribution, value-added products, and marketing.

In support of Aliment’s mission, Feed the Future Cambodia Harvest II recently awarded the market retailer a Horticultural Solutions grant to expand vegetable production by strengthening pre- and post-harvest practices, ensuring a consistent supply of safe vegetables. The retail market is building a model farm to demonstrate improved production methods such as net housing and crop rotation. Once the model farm is complete, Aliments will promote the adoption of a participatory guarantee system (PGS) and GAP through producer training and will establish contract farming agreements with at least 25 participants. The company is also developing value-added products and installing solar dryers to convert organic waste into processed products.

Promoting local access to safe produce, an Aliments employee displays safe and organic leafy greens.

Harvest II assisted Aliments to establish its model farm by connecting the retailer with producer and net house builder Tasey Samaki Agricultural Cooperative (AC).  After the initial introduction, the actors agreed to partner together and Tasey AC constructed five net houses on Aliments model farm. Additionally, Tasey AC will serve as a safe and organic produce supplier to the retail market.

Aliments recently launched a media campaign using its website, blog, and videos to educate the community, build brand awareness, and expand its market reach. Harvest II supports the retailer by providing input and ideas for their videos and online program “Ali Health,” which promotes food safety standards and healthy living. Recognizing the potential benefits of linking the two businesses, Harvest II connected the market retailer to Battambang-based fruit processor Navita. The business match led to Navita appearing as a guest on the Aliments’ “Ali SME” series – a component of the “Ali Health” program that links quality producers to consumers by sharing stories, discussing production, and highlighting products.

An in-store display showcases Aliments’ high-quality safe fruits and vegetables. 

Co-founder of Navita, Sothea Rina Uy, shared the benefits of being featured on the “Ali SME” program, saying “the show promotes Navita’s products and expands local and international markets.”

Since even before the pandemic, Aliments has been developing its online business approach, which proved to be advantageous during the recent pandemic lockdown. Having observed the benefits of online ordering, the retail market began establishing an online presence and signed formal contracts with five ordering and delivery service apps, including Nham 24, Food Panda, Buzzbuy, Grab, and E-GETS.  In addition to these new services, Aliments created company Messenger and Telegram pages and developed a smartphone app, facilitating direct ordering through various channels. By proactively preparing an action plan, implementing standard response procedures, and strategically placing staff in the provinces to ensure an undisturbed supply chain, Aliments has experienced a three-fold increase in sales during Cambodia’s recent lockdown.

Addressing elements in its supply chain, including production, distribution, value-added products, and marketing, Aliments continues fostering development and facilitating access to safe agricultural products to Cambodia’s local community. 

 

A partnership launches a processor into international exports

 Capturing added value and employing women in Cambodia’s horticulture sector

Illustrating determination and innovation, the owner of Chey Sambo Cashew Nut Processing Handicraft (CSC) Ms. In Laihout began her career as a cashew farmer and has expanded her technical knowledge and business skills working in various capacities in the cashew subsector. Drawing on her initial experience and her boundless energy, Ms. Laihout developed CSC’s targeted mission, aiming to sell Cambodia’s processed cashew in domestic and international markets by establishing contract farming agreements with producers, thus ensuring a consistent quantity and quality of raw cashew nuts. CSC is also dedicated to empowering women, prioritizing the employment of local women to work in its processing facility. 

Presenting at a workshop organized by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries last year, CSC met and forged a business partnership with the Japanese company Top Planning Japan (TPJ). This relationship paved the way for CSC to launch exports of its premium processed cashew. The two parties signed a business agreement and TPJ loaned CSC $280,000 to construct a medium-sized factory in Kampong Thom province, expanding the company’s processing capability and facilitating the export of cashew nuts. TPJ also provides working capital to purchase raw cashew nuts, enabling year-round processing. 

An employee manually sorts and grades the cashew nuts to ensure high-quality product

Feed the Future Cambodia Harvest II awarded an Investment Accelerator grant to CSC to help catalyze further investment in its production capacity. The cashew processor invested $305,776 to upgrade the factory’s equipment, including a peeling machine, DC-shell machine, grading machine, vacuum packing machine, waste-water treatment, and other equipment. The new equipment facilitated compliance with international food safety standards, environmental requirements, and expanded production capacity, increasing the local and international competitiveness of CSC’s processed cashew.

Ms. Laihout proudly shared, “The grant helped CSC improve the capacity of processing to respond to market demand, now there are many buyers ordering finished cashew products from the factory.” Ms. Laihout is a pioneer in helping the country capture added value from this valuable commodity, grown by tens of thousands of smallholder farmers.

The factory was completed and equipment installed in December 2020, and processing launched at the beginning of 2021. Though delayed slightly due to pandemic-related travel restrictions, TPJ’s initial eight-ton order was successfully delivered in the beginning of June 2021, and a second nine-ton order has already shipped and is expected to arrive in mid-July.  The two parties have made formal arrangements and CSC will continue exporting seven to ten tons of processed cashew to Japan per month.

CSC is dedicated to promoting gender equality, employing a majority of women in its factory. 

Aiming to access additional international markets, CSC is participating in Harvest II’s Export Competitiveness Program for Local Cashew Processors, facilitated by cashew expert Jim Fitzpatrick in collaboration with HEKS.  The integrative program helps domestic processors build competitiveness and resilience by raising awareness about growing demand in the sector, providing SMEs a blueprint to access the most relevant opportunities, and guiding actors as they build their cashew processing and exporting capacity.  The cashew processor is also working with TPJ to unlock other international export opportunities by applying for hazard analysis critical control point (HACCP) certification.

To supplement supply and meet international demand, the business partners are also working together to test the products of small, local cashew processors and CSC will purchase semi-processed product from processors that meet TPJ’s standards.

Ms. Laihout is dedicated to empowering women and promoting development in Cambodia’s horticulture sector. Utilizing a holistic action plan, CSC continues working with Harvest II and other partners to capture every opportunity to learn, improve, and expand – promoting prosperity and sustainability across Cambodia’s cashew subsector.