KFS in brief

 Kenya fruit solutions a small business enterprise started by Ms Ayumi Yamamoto is based in Machakos county with its offices at Shanbad house next to Kiamba Mall  (new Naivas)  2^nd floor room 212.

Kenya fruit solutions has a processing facility at Kibosho  on the outskirts of Machakos town, right past the Machakos university College where mangoes, pineapples, pears, are dried for sale .These fruits are condensed in a machine no additives added the natural sweetness is retained so the fruits are very tasty and healthy.This work is done by highly qualified staff who work in a hygienic environment maintaining high levels of cleanliness to avoid contamination of the products .The products are then packed and sealed.

Kenya fruit solutions also trains people on how to make these products especially the farmers who have solar driers where these products can also be dried from .These farmers are also taught on how to maintain high levels of hygiene during handling these products to avoid contamination.

The products are exported to countries like Japan but are soon to be introduced to our local markets in Kenya .These dried fruits can be eaten with milk as a morning meal,  can be taken as a snack  at work as a morning meal.

Kenya fruit solutions as any other growing business enterprise has also had a fair share of challenges. these include:

1. Took time to get good personnel.

2. Products at first brought a lot of loss since fruits changed color which was not favorable.

It has also grown a lot over the past one year it started.

1. increased number of permanent staff.

2. Identified and tapped into new potential market

3. Educated staff concerning hygiene during processing.

5. Collaborated with farmers in rural area in drying and buying from them fruits hence creating a good relation with people of the area.

Kenya fruit solutions is a very ambitious business and has a lot of plans for the future including  increasing employment opportunities ,building a factory to produce these dried fruits and introducing their products to the local market.

In conclusion Kenya fruit solutions are looking to impact the society in a positive way by improving farming in the region, unemployment and its economy in general.

By Carol Nkatha

How Healthy is Dried Fruits

In its purest form, dried fruit is just fresh fruit with the water removed. Dehydration, in fact, causes some nutrients to become more concentrated. A 2005 study in Journal of the American College of Nutrition revealed that antioxidants in dried cranberries, grapes, and plums are twice as potent as those in the fresh fruits.

But keep this in mind before launching a dried-fruit diet: A dried apricot is a fraction of the size of a fresh one, but the two pack the same number of calories and amount of sugar. “We eat with our eyes, so we’re likely to consume more pieces of dried fruit than we should,” says Chrissy Wellington, a nutritionist in Lenox, Massachusetts. A cup of fresh fruit makes up one portion. When eating dried fruit, have a smaller helping—for example, a quarter cup of raisins.

Watch for added sweeteners (sugar, corn syrup), particularly in tart fruits, like cherries and cranberries. Also, take note of the ingredient list: Only the fruit should be listed. Look for packages that say “no sulfites,” a preservative that maintains color. Dried fruit shouldn’t look like the original; while it might not be pretty, brown and shriveled is your best bet. Remember: Dried fruit is not candy, so it shouldn’t taste like it is.

credits: realsimple.com

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