Overall Goal

The SMART team will build on previous research to develop a comprehensive marketing strategy that ensures value addition of Azuri’s products and services for expansion and growth while ensuring social and economic community impact.

Company/Business Location

Thika, Kenya

Company Profile

Azuri Health Ltd. is a private limited company located in tropical Kenya. Azuri commercially distributes and markets nutritious, naturally dried products from its processing facilities. With a labor force of 10 employees and extensive networks including farmers and other businesses, the company’s range of products include a variety of flours (e.g. nutrie-porridge flour, sweet potato flour) and dried fruit snacks (mangoes, pineapples, bananas, coconuts and pawpaw).

The products are marketed and sold locally but the company is increasingly launching into the export market. Azuri Health has become one of the largest suppliers of dried fruits in East Africa. With a focus on socially conscious entrepreneurship, Azuri partners with over 600 farmers to provide access to a profitable market while reducing post-harvest waste.

Proposed Team Tasks

The specific tasks of the Azuri SMART team will be:

1. Help create a social media and marketing campaign that focuses on tackling global issues such as post harvest losses, climate change and fair trade while aligning the production and distribution chains for efficiency.
2. Explore creative and innovative approaches to product sales (e.g. online presence), with necessary certification, as an avenue to Azuri’s expansion both domestically and internationally.

Desired Skills

The skills and background that would be beneficial (but not all necessary) for this project include:

• Good understanding of business (e.g. market analysis, value chains, etc) and development frameworks;
• Research, analytical and writing skills (e.g. publishable case study); and
• Knowledge in fields such as communication, marketing, economics, information technology, nutrition and horticulture/agricultural sciences.

Fieldwork Dates

Tentative dates: January 5-18, 2020

Team Leader

Ndunge Kiiti | Charles H. Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management | nk26@cornell.edu

Additional Information

Company Website: www.azurihealth.co.ke
Company Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/Azuri-Health-255524526765