We are now feeling the crunch to finalize all the important details and tie off the loose ends regarding our work and research at the kitchens.
I am working on my recycling program and building relationships with local tree nurseries to re-use our plastic bags. We are trying to solidify various suppliers of packing bags, print-screening and other goods that the mamas use on a consistent basis. The important part of all of this is the presence of the mamas in establishing these relationships because once we’re gone, they have to do all of this on their own.
We are reviewing our market research data, along with other information we have gathered and we are putting together a “Sustainability Package” for the mamas. In this portfolio, we are creating a budget of their daily expenses so that once the funding ends, they will know exactly how much they can afford to spend per month and how much they want to save. We will be including a list of recommendations regarding salespeople in the market, marketing tactics, solutions to production problems and contacts of long-term suppliers. We are really trying to aid them in making a smooth transition from a financially supported franchise to an independently operated business.
We are conducting focus groups this week to gain insight into the cultural implications of business in Kenya and to see if our long-term recommendations and strategy will be possible after these considerations have been factored in. Finally, before we leave we want to conduct one final market research survey to determine the impact of our marketing efforts. Hopefully the results will be positive and both kitchens’ profits will have increased!
We recently hosted a musical festival in celebration of the launch of the Fiti brand in Kenya. From building the stage to recruiting local musicians, we did it all. It was hard work with lots of frustrations and disappointments but overall it was very well received.
The idea began as a marketing tactic to help boost the sales yoghurt at both the Kadongo and Oyugis yoghurt kitchens. As of July 21 the data collection related to the health benefits of the probiotic yoghurt was finished, therefore there were no longer yoghurt being produced to be given to the participants of the study. As a result the funding from World Bank funding the daily operations of the both kitchens to produce yoghurt for the study will soon come to end. Meaning both kitchen will have to operate as a sustainable standalone business with no external funding. This has put great strains on both the production capacity and sales force.
In order to hopefully boost sales and increase the public’s knowledge of Fiti probiotic yoghurt. We began planning for the music festival about a month ago. Doing roadshows and promotional events are not anything new in the Kenyan culture, almost every single week there would be some sort of promotion at the market or you will see open-staged trucks blasting music across the town roads promoting their brand.
Branding
In terms of actually coming up with a logo for the Fiti yoghurt, it was a long and enduring process because we needed approval from all stakeholders involved which included the yoghurt mamas. In order to generate discussion and to get a sense of what type of branding would appeal to the local market. We held a tea party for the all the yoghurt mamas at both kitchens (on Canada Day). It took weeks but we finally have our logo which will be placed on all the packages, coolers, uniforms and any marketing materials
Promotions
We underwent a series promotional activities for the music festival. In the initial stages we started with our market research surveys to gauge the public’s knowledge of the product and their knowledge of probiotics, in conjunction we would introduce our interviewees about the product and invite them to the music festival. In the second stage we gave out pamphlets and posted posters all over town. This was the most effective form of advertising because between the four interns, each of us meets a large number of people on a daily basis and being given a personal invitation by a foreigners is not a very common thing, so they would particularly remember if a foreigner comes up to them to give them a personal invite. In the final stages of promotion, we focused on inviting influential members of the community to come to our music festival, this included the major of Oyugis, the chiefs in town, the district commissioner, the district development officer, and anyone that would benefit from having knowledge of the project that we are conducting. This was a surprisingly easy task because we mostly just walked up to each of their offices to hand-out the invites, even just casually walking into the mayor’s office, the hard part was finding them when they are in their offices. Being a foreigner do have their pros and cons.
Read more at Kinleigh Heads East and Jackel Heads East
Comments