Kenya - Startup under 3 years old

Describe your project or startup in a few words

Piquant Spices manufactures the most pure, potent and punchy spices for local & export markets. The raw materials are carefully sourced from farmers in arid and semi-arid areas thus providing livelihoods to underserved communities in Kenya and beyond.

01.01 Describe your startup in more detail

Piquant Spices offers the most elevated spice consumption experience by producing 3Ps; Pure, Potent and Punchy Spices. We guarantee the 3Ps through careful sourcing to ensure that only high-quality spices are used in our production process. We work closely with aggregators and also contract small holder farmers in arid and semi-arid areas of Kenya to grow herbs and spices which we source and use as our primary raw materials. Thereafter, we ensure our production process is hygienic and of high standards with sorting, cleaning, and moisture content and aflatoxin analysis forming a routine part of the production process. We pack the finished products in security-sealed 3-layered bags and sachets that preserve the original aroma from the factory for over 10 years. By providing spice consumers with pure and natural spices, we minimize the risks of stomach, skin and respiratory disorders.

01.02 What is the main problem you are trying to solve?

Over 50% of spices in the global market are adulterated. Spices are an easy target for adulteration because they are a high-value commodity and mostly sold in powdered form. Many sellers and manufacturers follow the process of adulteration to mask the low grade and sub-standard quality of the spices. The low-quality spices will be sold at the price of high-quality spices after adultering them to make them look good. Spice consumers are keen on spending on pure, potent and natural spices; however the market serves those spices full of adulterants e.g. corn starch, chalk powder and artificial colors. Prolonged consumption of adulterated spices leads to skin diseases, liver disorders, respiratory issues, stomach issues, cancer among others. This problem affects individuals, households, hotels and industries that use spices as a key ingredient in their food preparation or production processes, signifying a wide distribution of the negative impact of adulterated spices.

01.03 Tell us the major benefits and/or advantages of using the product/service that your startup provides (at least 3).

1. Unique Taste: Our products have been praised as being highly potent and punchy. We achieve this through our hygienic production process and high-standards of quality control right from sourcing to the time it reaches the final consumer. 2. Traceability: We know where our raw materials come from, how they are grown, harvested and stored. This enables us to speak confidently to the quality of our raw materials. 3. Quality Packaging: Our packaging is uniquely designed with a 3-layered aluminum inner foil that helps preserve the potency and purity of the product for over 10 years. 4. Affordability: Piquant Spices are packed in 10grams sachets that cost Kes. 30 which makes it affordable for low-income households to purchase the products.

01.04 Please describe who exactly your startup’s product/service is aimed at serving. Who are the targeted beneficiaries?

80% Households, 15% Hotels and Caterers and 5% Food and Beverage Manufacturers constitute our overall market. Our main customer is the low-income households, they access spices through retail stores in their neighbourhoods. This demographic is main victim of adulterated spices, thus a high impact target once they become loyal to Piquant Spices. Interestingly, our hotel portfolio is growing since we’ve been able to solve for them the issue of spice adulteration and they’re able to get more repeat customers for their foods. Monthly spice subscription for middle and high income households is our latest market development strategy.

01.05 When was your company established?

2022-01-19

01.06 Are you already selling your product/service?

Yes

01.07 How many other owners are there within your startup?

3

01.08 Among the other owners, how many are female?

1

01.09 Please describe the profile of the other owners within your startup (skills, experience, etc.)

1. Sylvester Kamau: He has over 10 years’ experience in marketing, food production and catering industries. He’s uniquely placed to understand the changing needs in spice consumption and how to adapt to consumer preferences. 2. Leah Njuguna: With over 15 years’ experience as a data scientist, Leah is able to interpret the trends on each product and use her data and artificial intelligence knowledge to inform our market entry and customer retention strategies.

01.10 If you have a website, a social media page (Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin…), or app, please provide the link(s) here:

https://www.facebook.com/PiquantSpice/

01.11 Which industry best describes your project?

d) Primary commodities (food, drink, household and personal products)

02.01.01 My startup contributes to the No poverty goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.01.02 No poverty - Justification for my startup

We are guaranteeing income to small-holder farmers and encouraging savings through formation of savings group. The savings are able to bring small-holder farmers together to take care of the jointly owned solar dryers that are used for drying herbs and spices at farm level. All these efforts are aimed at lifting marginalized communities in arid and semi-arid areas from poverty.

02.02.01 My startup contributes to the Zero hunger goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.02.02 Zero hunger - Justification for my startup

Piquant Spices products are full of health benefits, have medicinal and nutritional value. The intercropping of spices boosts crop yield thus playing an indirect role in achieving food security and promoting sustainable agriculture.

02.03.01 My startup contributes to the Good health and well-being goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.03.02 Good health and well-being - Justification for my startup

Piquant Spices products are full of health benefits, have medicinal and nutritional value. Spices like Ginger are used to cure common flu that is prevalent amongst people of all ages.

02.04.01 My startup contributes to the Quality education goal

4

02.04.02 Quality education - Justification for my startup

Piquant Spices has a policy of employing young mothers and those who never went to school. We take up the cost of equipping these young mothers with a technical skill on spice processing thus empowering them to work for us or any other dry food processing company.

02.05.01 My startup contributes to the Gender equality goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.05.02 Gender equality - Justification for my startup

70 percent of our full time and casual workforce is comprised of women. This speaks to our commitment to gender equality and giving opportunities to women and girls to drive the growth of our startup company.

02.06.01 My startup contributes to the Clean water and sanitation goal

3

02.06.02 Clean water and sanitation - Justification for my startup

02.07.01 My startup contributes to the Affordable and clean energy goal

4

02.07.02 Affordable and clean energy - Justification for my startup

02.08.01 My startup contributes to the Decent work and economic growth

7 - Strongly Agree

02.08.02 Decent work and economic growth - Justification for my startup

02.09.01 My startup contributes to the Industry innovation and infrastructure

6

02.09.02 Industry innovation and infrastructure - Justification for my startup

By doing value addition to a commodity that previously went to waste in arid and semi-arid areas of Kenya, we are able to promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization that makes use of locally available materials and innovatively places marginalized communities at the heart of industrialization.

02.10.01 My startup contributes to the Reduced inequalities goal

6

02.10.02 Reduced inequalities - Justification for my startup

02.11.01 My startup contributes to the Sustainable cities and communities goal

4

02.11.02 Sustainable cities and communities - Justification for my startup

02.12.01 My startup contributes to the Responsible consumption and production goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.12.02 Responsible consumption and production - Justification for my startup

We have zero waste in our production process. All the raw materials are either used as primary input or secondary input for other industries.

02.13.01 My startup contributes to the Climate action goal

6

02.13.02 Climate action - Justification for my startup

Piquant Spices is helping in climate change adaptation amongst small-holder farmers in semi-arid areas of Kenya by providing alternative / drought resistant crop, encouraging value addition at farm level and growth of spice trees for carbon offsets.

02.14.01 My startup contributes to the Life below water goal

2

02.14.02 Life below water - Justification for my startup

02.15.01 My startup contributes to the Life on land goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.15.02 Life on land - Justification for my startup

Piquant Spices is helping in climate change adaptation amongst small-holder farmers in semi-arid areas of Kenya by providing alternative / drought resistant crop and promoting regenerative agriculture. By planting spice trees, we are able to promote sustainable forestry that not only provides the raw materials but also helps in carbon sequestration.

02.16.01 My startup contributes to the Peace Justice and Strong Institutions goal

2

02.16.02 Peace Justice and Strong Institutions- Justification for my startup

02.17.01 My startup contributes to the Partnerships for the goal

2

02.17.02 Partnerships for the goal - Justification for my startup

06.01 There are a large number of customers who already use a product/service very similar to the product/service we envision creating.

7 - Strongly Agree

06.02 The product/service represents an entirely new type of product/service.

4

06.03 The product/service could be described as a new technology.

6

06.04 The product/service is an improvement on an existing product or service.

7 - Strongly Agree

06.05 The product/service could be described as an extension of a range of products or services.

7 - Strongly Agree

06.06 The product/service responds to a demand or need that has not been satisfied by other products/services.

7 - Strongly Agree

06.07 The product/service is a new version of an old product/service.

7 - Strongly Agree

06.08 Justification for my startup

By providing spice consumers with unadulterated spices, we minimize the risks of ulcers, skin disorders, cancers and respiratory issues, thus contributing to healthier populations. Further, we encourage small-holder farmers to grow spice trees e.g. Bay tree and Nutmeg tree not only for commercial benefits but to help offset carbon from the atmosphere and contribute to climate action.

06.09 Competitive Analysis

1. Tropical Heat: They have been in the market for over 50 years and enjoyed monopoly on spices for a long time. 2. Royco Spices: They are a recent entrant in the market, barely a year but highly backed by Unilever’s broad market access in the FMCG sector. 3. Natures Own: They are a relatively well-known brand and served as an alternative to Tropical Heat for quite some time. We stand out from the competitors because of : Unique Taste: Our products have been praised as being highly potent and punchy. We achieve this through our hygienic production process and high-standards of quality control right from sourcing to the time it reaches the final consumer. Traceability: We know where our raw materials come from, how they are grown, harvested and stored. This enables us to speak confidently to the quality of our raw materials. Quality Packaging: Our packaging is uniquely designed with a 3-layered aluminum inner foil that helps preserve the potency and purity of the product for

11.05 Are you initiating actions within your community to promote the role of female entrepreneurs?

Yes, I am supporting female entrepreneurs through peer mentorship and hand holding.