Did you know that starting a food packaging business in Nigeria can offer tremendous opportunities for entrepreneurs?
As the largest economy in Africa and a country with a rapidly growing population, Nigeria's food industry is thriving, and there is a rising demand for innovative and sustainable packaging solutions.
Did you know that as the country's population continue to expand, there is a rising need for ready-to-eat and on-the-go food options? This makes the food packaging industry a promising and lucrative venture.
Food packaging is importance as it plays a decisive role in influencing people's perception of a product or food. Before people try a product or food, they decide whether they'll like it or not based on the packaging.
Food packaging refers to the process of enclosing and protecting food products to ensure their safety, freshness, and hygiene from the point of production until they reach consumers.
In old times, Food packaging was done using natural materials such as palm leaves, baskets of reeds, wooden boxes, coconut shells, pottery vases, ceramic amphorae, wooden barrels, woven bags, etc. In recent times, packaging materials have been advanced and improved to be more secure. This materials include, tin plates, airtight cans, and paper bags.
Three Types Of Food Packaging Based On Supply Chain
Primary Packaging
Primary packaging is the packaging in direct contact with the product. It is the first layer material that covers the finished food product. An example of Primary packaging is the wrappers we see on chocolates, the container that holds a kg of rice together, the tin that holds tomatoes paste, the can that holds yoghurts and soft drinks etc.
Secondary Packaging
Secondary packaging is used to hold together a group of items. This way, it is easier to transport them to retailers and sellers.
Tertiary Packaging
Tertiary Packaging is used packaging items in bulk for moving them from one point to warehouses and shipments. It is used mostly during the distribution stage.
Requirements for Food Packaging
The main purposes of food packaging include preserving the quality and shelf life of the food, providing important information to consumers (such as ingredients, nutritional values, and expiration dates), and enhancing the visual appeal of the products to attract customers.
However, food packaging has to fulfill the following requirement:
- It must hold the contents and keep them secure and ensure no leakage or breakage until they are used.
- It must protect the food/ product against dirt, microorganisms and other contaminants during distribution and storage.
- It must protect the food/ product from damage caused by insects, birds and rodents or physical damage
- It most protect the food/ product from the effects of heat and light , or moisture.
Tips On How To Start A Food Packaging Business In Nigeria
Below is a guide on how best to start up a food packaging business in Nigeria
Market Research
To create great products, excel and stay in food packaging business, you need to study about about the field. You can also reach out to experienced people in the business for knowledge and mentorship. This way, you'll not have to go through certain challenges in the business.
Create A Business Plan
A business plan is a document that outlines the details of a business's objectives, plans and goals. You have to put in certain important details in your business plans such as cost of raw materials, cost of equipment, target audience and structure of business etc.
Register Your Business
It's always advisable to register your business so as to be on the good side of the law.
In addition to registration, you'll need to get certain approvals to start up food business. This usually comes after an inspection of your business and location.
Purchase Equipment
Once you have planned and registered your business and have a place to start processing, the next step is to purchase the necessary equipment. The equipment you'll purchase is highly dependent on the size of the manufacturing unit you are planning to set up.
Below is a list of some necessary food packaging equipment;
- Dispenser
- Industrial sealing machine
- Nylon, polythene, tins for packaging.
- Weighing scale
- Cartons, boxes, trays and crates for final packaging.
Conclusion
By keeping these tips and key points in mind, you can kick start your food packaging venture in Nigeria
In addition, It is important to get legally licensed from good government Agencies as NAFDAC (National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control) and SON (standard Organization of Nigeria).
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