Empowering Food SMEs to Deliver Affordable, Nutritious, Safe & Delicious Food

At Food Enterprise Solutions (FES), we believe that sustainable progress in food systems starts small, often with local entrepreneurs committed to doing right by consumers. Through the Feed the Future Business Drivers for Food Safety (BD4FS) initiative, FES has partnered with food SMEs, or “Growing Food Businesses” (GFBs), to co-create solutions that make safer food handling, stronger business management, and sustainable, affordable practices not only possible, but profitable. 

Why Food Safety Matters 

• Nearly 1 in 10 people globally fall ill from contaminated food, with ~420,000 deaths annually, a loss of 33 million healthy life years. Unsafe food profoundly undermines public health, productivity, economies, and trust in food systems.  

• In many emerging markets, SMEs form the backbone of local food supply. Yet, they face critical barriers—unclear laws, lack of training, insufficient infrastructure, and scarce affordable services—hindering their ability to protect food safety.  

  
  

FES’s Approach: Practical, Affordable, and Sustainable 

1.  Assess to Address: The Food Safety Situational Analysis (FSSA) 

We begin with a business-focused FSSA: a survey and mapping system that examines infrastructure, policy environment, private sector readiness, and value-chain dynamics to pinpoint where SMEs need help most. This ensures interventions are grounded in real-world challenges and opportunities. 

2.  Right-Sized Standards: The Pre-HACCP Validation Badge 

Recognizing that full certifications like HACCP or BRC can be out of reach, we developed a “Validation Badge”—a tailored, affordable standard built from core food safety requirements and industry best practices. Participating SMEs implement key Prerequisite Programs (PRPs) and undergo a focused audit to gain recognition—paving the way for growth and credibility. (Food Enterprise Solutions) 

3.  Co-Design, Train, and Audit 

FES works side-by-side with GFBs—delivering practical training, co-designing improvements, facilitating audits through trusted third parties (e.g., Bureau Veritas), and reinforcing gains with post-audit feedback and mobile tools (e.g., mSafeFood platform) for continued learning.  

4.  Aligning Standards with Investment 

Standards by themselves are powerful—but even more so when they unlock financing. In Senegal, for example, FES tackled the barrier of investor hesitation by helping food SMEs become investment-ready through improved safety practices. This allowed GFBs to demonstrate credibility, build confidence, and access formal capital partners.  

• One standout example: Carvi Food in Senegal improved food safety, secured shelf space in Auchan supermarkets, and doubled its annual sales—from ~$30,000 to ~$60,000—through market exposure and trust. 

5.  Scaling via Enabling Environment 

Beyond enterprise-level support, FES strengthens system-level foundations. In Ethiopia, BD4FS signed an MOU with the Ministry of Trade and Regional Integration to co-develop training, certification frameworks, public awareness, and food safety audits—creating an ecosystem where SMEs can thrive sustainably.  

6. FES is aligned and in full support of the Access to Nutrition Initiative (ATNi) 

Investors & Policymakers can see how their strategies align with global benchmarks, like those from the Access to Nutrition Initiative. ATNi drives market transformation by challenging food industry leaders and investors to make healthier, affordable diets accessible to all, especially the most vulnerable. By aligning our support for SMEs with these global indicators, we ensure local impact contributes to broader systemic change. (Access to Nutrition Initiative) 

 Food Enterprise Solutions - Impact at a Glance 

• 21,000+ individuals trained, including 70% women and 35% youth 

• 470 food safety trainings delivered 

• 100% of participants adopted new, improved practices 

• 15% average increase in annual sales among participating businesses 

• 89.5% return on investment 

• 6,000+ agribusiness participants, with 19,000+ reporting recall of key food safety messages  

  
  

These achievements reflect our belief in forward-looking interventions—not just once-off training, but reliably sustainable practices anchored in business benefit and community well-being. You can learn more about or mission and impact on our website. 

Food Enterprise Solutions 

Why This Matters 

• SMEs & Entrepreneurs can see how structured, affordable support transforms food safety from a cost center into a growth lever. 

• Investors & Funders get insight into real, measurable ROI when safety meets enterprise support. 

• Policymakers & Government can witness how enabling environments—through partnership—amplify institutional impact. 

Safe, Tasty, Sustainable Together 

At FES, we stand at the intersection of food safety, commercial viability, and community resilience. By partnering with SMEs across countries—co-designing, training, auditing, and enabling investment—we help build food systems where safe, nutritious, affordable, and tasty food isn’t a luxury, but the norm. 

• Curious how your organization can integrate practical, affordable food safety solutions? 

• Seeking co-design partners for food system improvements? 

• Ready to invest in SME-led food transformation? 

Join us in expanding a world where local entrepreneurs flourish, consumers thrive, and food safety fuels shared prosperity.