There are opportunities in Nigeria that can be explored for wealth creation. One of such is the food packaging business. This entails wrapping of food via different techniques to ensure its protection at any point, either during storage, distribution or to its destination.
It involves activities and techniques that prevent food from becoming damaged or getting spoiled before it can be consumed by the buyer.
There are requirements for packaging, and it is necessary to start by emphasizing them.
They are:
Preservation
Preserving the content (irrespective of the form of the edible material being packaged) without breakage. Until the content (the food) is received by the consumer, the container should remain intact and should even have no leakage.
Good packaging
Good packaging to adequately protect the food against diverse hazards while it is being stored and distributed. The container should have the ability to prevent dirt from having access to the edible material in question.
It should be made in such a way that unpleasant substances like stones and sand will be kept away from the edible content, irrespective of where it is moved to.
Food security
The packaging to secure the edible material from the havoc that can be caused by insects and rodents. It should be tightly sealed so much so that even tiny insects won’t be able to gain entry.
Also, it should be made in such a way that it will be quite difficult for rodents like rats to touch the edible material inside the packaging container.
Prevention against physical damage
The necessity of the packaging to protect the edible material from physical damage even when it is being moved around.
The necessity of the packaging to secure the edible content from the impact of heat and light. The food should be adequately preserved from natural effects that can cause any form of quality deterioration.
In addition, the packaging container should be suitable for recycling. If possible, it can be reused. If not, it should be easily disposed.
Starting a Food Packaging Business In Nigeria
Your business must be legitimate if you want to be accepted by the market, and if you don’t want to have constant issues with the authorities.
Therefore, you must first see to it that you obtain all that the law requires you have before you can start your business operations.
If your focus is food export on a large scale, then it’s a must for you to obtain an export licence from the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC)
Countries have specialized requirements for anyone starting a business within their borders.
In fact, since this business, in particular, is a sensitive one that can affect human health, the authorities will try to ensure you are capable of food production fit for consumption.
Registration with regulatory authorities
Therefore, you have to be familiar with important bodies in the country that are in charge of food regulation. They include the likes of Standard Organization of Nigeria (SON), National Agency for Foods, Drugs and Control (NAFDAC), Ministries of Health (at Federal and State levels), etc.
In Nigeria, all businesses are expected to register a business name with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC). You should register your business with this body, as it is now simple for anyone to do.
You can register your food packaging business online or pay someone to do so for you. Additionally, you should be ready for visitations from the Public Health Department to assess your products and the place of production.
Once you have the required knowledge, have taken the necessary steps for legitimacy, and have good capital, you can start buying the crude foodstuffs which you intend to process and package.
You will be able to get them cheaper if you buy them in bulk. You then take them through the process of picking and cleaning them to ensure there won’t be foreign substances like sand and stones in them. You then take them to a factory where they will be packaged adequately.
As touching equipment that are required for packaging these foodstuffs, it is advisable to get a stainless processing machine.
It should be noted that this is one of the necessities to get approval from a body like NAFDAC. Also, certain particular types of equipment to make use of will be determined by the type of foodstuffs you want to work with. For instance, in the case of vegetables, one will need a drying machine.
Blenders will be required for things like chips.
Depending on the products you are working with, you have to get special filling or sealing machines too.
To be successful with your food packaging business in Nigeria, you have certain important knowledge too. First, you should know that the amount of a container should be considered with the cost of the raw food.
Also, the availability and amount of diverse packaging materials in a region will determine what packaging material to be used.
You should be sure that the material you are going for is suitable to be in contact with the food you intend to process and package.
Some packaged products still need air, hence they will get worse. In such a case, your packaging container will be made in such a way that it won’t be an air barrier.
Marketing strategies:
To market your products, you can utilize both online and offline techniques. You can take great advantage of social media networks like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, WhatsApp, TikTok among others.
You simply create an account, have a page, and start advertising your products. If you have enough money, you can even decide to pay for ads on these social media networks so you can get to reach more buyers and customers.
Also, you can print flyers and distribute them around your locality. This will make residents know that you are selling that particular product.
Additionally, you can decide to take your products to local markets and agree on a deal with the sellers there. This is another very effective method of selling your package products.
Generally, the food packaging business is a lucrative business opportunity in Nigeria. Ensure you conduct more research to get a practical insight into what aspect you are embracing, and your investments will likely go well.
In Conclusion
There are numerous foodstuffs in the market today, hence you can always choose whatever you know you can offer in a packaged form. You can opt for anything you know will fly in your territory.
It can be bread, cooked foods, confection, and so on. However, since this is business, you should be sure you are going for what people want in your surrounding (what they will be willing to pay for). This will help ensure your investments will produce great returns.
There are several retail containers popularly used for the packaging of products. Sachets (for the likes of milk, water, etc), bottles (for liquids, etc), cartons, bags, jars, pots, and so on.
The one you would opt for is majorly determined by the type of foodstuff you want to go for. As stated already, this is a fine business opportunity that can ensure wealth creation.
Nevertheless, you should see to it that you settle for something buyers will gladly pay for. The more buyers you have, the more money to be made.
Featured Image
- By Conor Brown on Unsplash
