Winnaz Potato Chips plant in Rwanda scales up production five-fold

The Hollanda Fair Foods potato processing plant in Rwanda, which produces the Winnaz Crisps brand, is set to scale up its chips production capacity five-fold.

This follows major upgrades of the plant for both its frying and packaging lines.

Located in Gacaca sector in Musanze District in Northern Rwanda, the factory is co-owned by Hollanda Fair Foods Limited (a registered Rwandan company) and Pascal Murasira, a Rwandan investor.

It manufactures high end crisps from a selected variety of Irish potatoes.

Launched three years ago, the factory has had capacity of producing only two tonnes per day, which according to its managers, was below the supply capacity.
 

Officials observe the production process at the Hollanda Fair Foods potato processing plant. (Courtesy: Jean d'Amour Mbonyinshuti / New Times)

According to Thijs Boer, the Managing Director of the factory, they want to provide world class crisps to satisfy the appetite of domestic and regional snack-eaters.

The upgrade is a result of partnership between the factory and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), through its Private Sector Driven Agricultural Growth Project (PSDAG).

During the launch of the upgraded factory on January 17, 2018, Thijs Boer stressed that the total investment is worth $1 million.

Thijs Boer, Managing Director:
 

“We can process for the market at least 10 tonnes per day.”

“We are now focusing on the market in the Democratic Republic of Congo and in Uganda, where we export 60 per cent of our product.”

“However, there is fierce competition in Kenya but this is a positive challenge for us as we continue to strive for the regional market leadership.”

Workers at the Winnaz potato processing plant peeling and inspecting potatoes.

Boer hailed the government for facilitating them in their endeavour through collaborations with different institutions.

Thijs Boer:
 

“We have upgraded our packaging and our frying lines and that means we need less oil to produce our crisps, the factory was also semi-automatic but it is now fully automatic.”

He said that the factory intends to work with farmers’ cooperatives, especially women’s, to use waste from the factory to fabricate soaps to ensure zero waste in the factory.

USAID facilitated Hollanda Fair Foods to invest in upgrading its Irish potato processing facility to meet domestic and export market demand and quality requirements.

The support has contributed to the introduction of four new Winnaz potato chip products to domestic and export markets, increased incomes for potato farmers in Musanze and increased annual export sales, he said.

Hollanda Fairfoods also secured a contract to supply RwandAir, according to the officials.

Leslie Marbury, USAID Rwanda Acting Mission Director:
 

“USAID is sensitive to the needs of smallholder farmers.”

“Supporting Hollanda Fair Foods and other agribusiness is a critical investment USAID makes to increase farmers’ productivity and incomes.”

“This partnership will ultimately help farmers achieve great results.”

Farmers upbeat

Farmers and other stakeholders welcomed the development saying it would help them sell more produce to the factory and keep equipping them with best farming practices so as to avail quality produce.

The company intends to work with farmers’ cooperatives for its potato supply

Honoré Tuyishime, one of farmers supplying potatoes:

“I started working with this factory two years ago and this has helped me both in improving produce and benefitting from it, I have signed a contract with the factory and, last year I supplied 25 tonnes but our current contract is to supply 40 tonnes.”

Unlike unstable prices that have affected potato farmers over the past few months, Tuyishime says the factory buys at a better price ranging from Rfw 240 to Rwf 280 per kilogramme.

According to Fred Mugabe, the Industry development policy officer at the Ministry of Trade and Industry, the government prioritises agro-processing sector and the upgrade means that more produce will be processed, helping farmers get market for their produce.