Context Close your eyes and think of Madagascar - probably images of majestic Baobab trees come to mind. Unfortunately, these iconic trees and many others are increasingly being cut down to clear space for farming and cattle grazing. In an effort to preserve the Baobab Grandidieri, Emeric Creuze started commercializing its fruits, producing Baobab powder (Moringa) and cosmetic oil (Marula). Through the business, additional income and employment is created for villagers, which provides an economic incentive to keep the Baobab and ecosystem alive.
The big question What was the export potential of Madagascan Baobab powder, as well as Moringa, Amarula and Neem for international markets?
Approach Marketing for Impact organised qualitative interviews alongside desk research, mainly with potential european customers for the prospective products in order to evaluate potential opportunities. The findings were presented in a report and discussed in workshop with company management.
Result The study revealed that there were challenging barriers (i.e. regulatory barriers) for the Baobab products to enter foreign markets. It was discovered that the Moringa and Marula products showed great export potential, but would require significant investment to ensure a consistent high level of quality.. As a result of Marketing for Impacts input Renala pivoted their offering focusing primarily on Moringa and Amarula.