Del Monte Kenya has commissioned a pineapple frozen processing line and an 807kW solar power plant as it seeks to expand its export capacity and reduce its carbon footprint.
- •By freezing individual pieces of prepared pineapple to below -18°C, the US$ 4 million Individually Quick Frozen (IQF) processing line technology preserves quality across longer supply chains while reducing the post-harvest losses.
- •The IQF plant is part of diversification strategy for DMKL to venture into processing of other fruits and vegetables in Kenya.
- •The solar plant, developed in partnership with Berkeley Energy Corporate Solutions (BECS) will reduce the company's dependence on the national grid, lower long-term energy costs, and reduce carbon emissions.
“These facilities signal our future as a catalyst for industrial growth, job creation and rural economic empowerment. Our investment will strengthen Kenya's agricultural value chain and boost export competitiveness, creating meaningful economic opportunities for local communities,” said Wayne Cook, Del Monte Kenya’s Managing Director.
The IQF facility can process 3.6 tons of pineapple per hour giving DMKL additional flexibility in raw material utilization. Fresh pineapple sourced from the plantations is prepared into pieces, chunks, tidbits or cubes at the canning lines, then goes through a sequence of process steps which include inspection, disinfection and dewatering before entering to the freezing unit.
In the freezer, the product is conveyed in fluidized conveyor bed and each piece is frozen to below minus 18 degrees centigrade. Final IQF product is packed in polylinned cartons and sold in bulk cartons for industrial use mainly in the export market.
"The frozen line and solar plant are exactly the value-addition initiatives that will reduce our reliance on raw exports and position local industries to thrive in global markets. We commend Del Monte Kenya for leading the way," Abubakar Hassan Abubakar, Principal Secretary, State Department for Investment Promotion, said at the event.
