Tomato Jos Farming and Processing Limited, at the weekend in Kaduna, launched its much-anticipated Tomato Jos paste variant into the Nigerian market.
Speaking at the event which held at the weekend in Kaduna, the Managing Director of the company, Mira Mehta described the introduction of the product into the Nigerian market as “a dream come true”.
She noted that, though entrepreneurship is full of ups and downs, “I feel encouraged whenever I see my passion for this business ignite in my colleagues.”
She said, “I am incredibly proud of the Tomato Jos team for their hard work and belief that we could achieve something on this scale”.
Mehta described the facility as “the only one of its kind in Nigeria that can produce sachet tomato products directly from fresh tomatoes.”
She said, “the product is currently available throughout Kaduna State, and we intend to expand to more states by the end of 2022.
“Our company’s theme for 2021 was ‘Let’s Do This!’ and, well, we did it! The future looks bright for Tomato Jos.
“We will continue to grow until we become a household name across Nigeria”.
According to her, the tomato paste is the company’s first consumer product since the commencement of operations in 2021 at its multi-billion-naira factory in Kangimi, Kaduna state.
The processing plant sits on 500 hectares of land under lease from the Kaduna State Government, with a potential tomato cultivation area of 300 hectares.
Speaking further, Mehta said, “In January 2020, we broke ground on our tomato paste processing plant and by March 2021 the factory was operational.
She said, “The company has over 200 full/contract workers, and a network of over 3,000 smallholder farmers who partner with the company to grow year-round at yields well above the national average.
Mehta said, “Till date, Tomato Jos has received investment support from the Central Bank of Nigeria through FCMB, Goodwell Investments B.V. through Alitheia IDF, VestedWorld, the Acumen Resilient Agriculture Fund, The Morning Star Company and other private investors.”
She added that the company plans to raise an additional $10 million in debt and equity to fund further growth and expand its reach across the country.
“We transform smallholder farmers from subsistence growers to successful commercial producers by empowering them to focus on year-round crop cultivation of tomatoes, maize, soya, wheat, and other crops.
“The products are offtake from the partner farmers and processed into value-added consumer packaged goods for the Nigerian and West African markets.”
Also in her remarks at the occasion, the Managing Director of First Capital Monument Bank (FCMB), Yemisi Edun, described the Bank’s funding of the factory as another landmark intervention to boost agribusiness, food security and food sufficiency in Nigeria.
