Abuja-based coffee brand

How we helped a coffee business in Nigeria automate packaging - and open up a new business in the local market


What the customer came with
A young coffee brand based in Abuja was roasting beans on local equipment and selling coffee in ziploc bags through small stores and subscriptions. The quality of the beans and roasting was excellent, but the packaging was hindering growth.

The main problems:

• Manual packaging - long, unstable, expensive
• Indoor humidity → flavor sags, loses aroma
• Difficulties with warehousing and logistics
• The brand could not enter B2B: retailers and hotels demanded industrial packaging with dating, sealing and weight control

The company wanted to move upmarket - selling to supermarkets, exporting to neighboring countries and producing a line of “cappuccino in sachets.”

But:

• The team had no experience with industrial equipment
• They didn't know what equipment to choose or where to buy it
• There were concerns about delivery, service and employee training
• Didn't have the lawyers needed to handle the transaction

How we solved the problem
Selecting and completing the equipment
We analyzed the client's production processes, their packaging format and climatic features (high humidity). Based on this we selected:

• automatic vertical packaging machine with a dater and gas medium function
• weight dispenser with an accuracy of ± 1 g
• compressor and consumables
• sealed materials for coffee packaging

The equipment is turnkey - without unnecessary functionality, but with expansion potential.

Logistics and delivery
We organized sea delivery to the port of Onne with subsequent delivery to Abuja. The container took 24 days to arrive and passed customs without delay: we prepared documentation, checked certification and coordinated with local authorities in advance.

Recruitment and training
We recruited two operators and a technologist through our local network in Nigeria. We provided training and set up technical support in English.

Legal support
We registered a legal entity in Nigeria for the client and opened a current account so they could accept payment from Nigerian partners and conduct official business locally.

Results

• Equipment installed, production running in 2 shifts
• Launch of a new range of packaging: 150g coffees with dating and logo
• Contract signed with a supermarket chain in Abuja
• Losses from scrap and over-packaging reduced by 34%
• Cost of packaging almost halved
• The brand is now looking at supplying Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire

Customer Review
“We had good coffee before, but we could not pack it properly. Because of the moisture, the flavor was lost, the weight was different, the film was torn or sealed badly. We were rejected by stores because it 'looked unprofessional'.

We had no idea what equipment we needed, how much it cost, how to deliver it and who would work with it. We're not IT people, we're not engineers - we just roast coffee.

But the team took it all on. At first, we didn't believe that we could really get everything done so quickly. But in 6 weeks we had new equipment, trained guys and the first boxes of finished products.

Now we feel like a real production facility, not an artisanal roaster. And honestly - we would never have done it alone.”