Empretec Annual Report 2011 - Unctad XI

03Success StoryLES FRUITS TILLOUIbidoun Bertille F. MarcosHaving worked as a research assistant at the University ofAbomey Calavi, Ibidoun, a trained agronomist, decided toput her passion for agriculture into action and establishedLes Fruits Tillou in 2000. Even though Les Fruits Tillou wasoriginally a pilot farm to support training in rural areas, itbecame a registered business in 2004. Motivated by thedesire to change the image of agronomists working onlyin government establishments,Ibidoun aims to work in theagriculture industry by runningher own enterprise.Based on agricultural production,the enterprise developspineapple production, export offresh pineapple, and processingof pineapple juice and variouscocktails.Today, Les Fruits Tillou produces pineapples on 12 acres ofits 28 acres of land. Exports have increased from 2 tonnesper week in 2003 to 45 tonnes per week in 2011. 40per cent of the pineapple production is produced by LesFruits Tillou, yet the remaining 60 per cent come from smallproducers that receive training in management operationsby Les Fruits Tillou.Since 2007, the daily production has gradually increasedEstablished in 2000ETW taken in 2011from 48 to 2000 bottles of juice per day. Staff has increasedfrom 10 seasonal farm workers to a current workforce of47 permanent workers and 40 seasonal farm workers.However, Les Fruits Tillou had to face severalchallenges related to the enterprise’s production, export andinfrastructure. Initially, the business experienced difficultiesin access to finance, therebylacking modern equipment.Lack of government support, forinstance the low level ofstructuring in the sector,constrained the developmentof the business. In addition,competitors from Europe andAsia limit the access to newmarkets.In order to cope with these challenges, Ibidoun attendedthe Empretec workshop in 2011. Today, Les Fruits Tillouaims to increase the capacity for the production of juiceand the export of pineapples. While seeking funding for themodernization of the juice production, the enterprise alsopursues business opportunities in the Maghreb region.“My passion for agriculture and the Empretec workshopwere crucial for coping with my enterprise’s challenges.”EMPRETEC ANNUAL REPORT 2011 25