Project 6

PEBEC Ltd (Producing and Exporting Bird’s Eye Chilli) is a Rwandan agribusiness exporting dried bird’s eye chili to Spain, Netherlands, and India, with ambitions to expand into France, the UK, and the USA. Operating with over 12,500 chili farmers (across 7 cooperatives), PEBEC has drying and storage facilities in major farming zones and is headquartered in Kimironko, Kigali.

In 2017, PEBEC engaged The Challenges Group through the ACRE Consortium to prepare for an investment raise of $500,000. The engagement aimed to develop a market-informed business strategy, build a compelling investment case, and improve internal systems in preparation for scaling operations and attracting capital.

I supported the technical assistance and business diagnostics process by:

• Led market analysis, competitor mapping, and investor-readiness assessment
• Supporting the development of the business plan, financial model, and investment documents
• Contributing to data collection on chili market requirements and certification standards (EU/USA)

Key Deliverables: Market Assessment Report, Export Readiness Checklist, Investor Business Plan Draft, HACCP/Organic Certification Prep Guide

Approach

• Operational and market diagnostics: Mapped current supply chain, production capacity, and customer base
• Competitor benchmarking: Compared PEBEC with top exporters (e.g., Gashora Farm, Urwibutso)
• Export compliance audit: Reviewed requirements for HACCP and Organic certification
• Financial and governance review: Assessed internal structures and proposed improved systems
• Investor-facing business case: Refined investment ask and supported documentation for syndicate engagement

Techniques Used: SWOT & Value Chain Analysis, Market Expansion Strategy, Export Standards Mapping (EU, US), Financial Toolkit Recommendation, Competitor Positioning Analysis

Tools: Excel, Word, PowerPoint, investor-readiness templates

Stakeholder Communication

• Weekly check-ins with PEBEC and Challenges Group team
• Shared drafts and presentations with the ACRE team for review and refinement
• Facilitated discussion with PEBEC on aligning growth goals with market demand and investor expectations

Artifacts Produced

• Revised Business Plan and Financial Model
• Market Assessment Report (target buyers, compliance, competitor scan)
• Export Compliance Guide (HACCP & Organic certification)
• Investor Brief and Syndicate-ready Investment Deck

Based on real-world data from 12,500 chili farmers and market feedback from Spain, Netherlands, India, and potential buyers in France, UK, and USA

Key Findings

• Export Profile: 95% of chili exported; main buyers include SABATER (Spain), KAGAN (Netherlands), CTCS (Germany)
• Local Market: 2–5% sold locally (Kimironko, Kicukiro); overflow sent to DRC
• Expansion Targets: France (Aromatum SAS), UK (Healy Group), USA (Allegro Coffee)
• Competitors:
  • Direct: Gashora Farm Ltd, Urwibutso Enterprise
  • Indirect: Freshpak International, Exagris Africa (Malawi)
• Key Export Requirements:
  • EU: Moisture <10%, aflatoxin-free, salmonella-free
  • US: HACCP Certificate, Organic Certificate
• Compliance Readiness: PEBEC had attended GAP training and had a roadmap toward HACCP
• Investment Use Case: Scaling farmer recruitment, equipment purchase, improving financial systems, and expanding market presence

Recommendations

• Expand storage and drying facilities to maintain chili quality (humidity <12%)
• Deepen relationships with new buyers in France, UK, USA to hedge against market fluctuations
• Improve financial reporting and governance to support sustainable growth
• Leverage data on supply chain and compliance to build stronger case for funding