SCF Business Manager (North Zone), Michael Bulemo

Small and Medium food processors in the country can now have direct access to market information at a cost of USD 100 (approximately 158,000/-) through a Point of Sale (POS) database launched recently by Small and Medium Enterprise Competitiveness Facility (SCF).

The database packed with up-to-date important data on market outlets will now enable food processors to identify their target markets without taking the trouble of doing a costly research which at times consumes more than 1m/- of their revenues apart from being time consuming.

This was revealed by SCF Business Manager –North Zone- Michael Bulemo during the introduction of POS database to small and medium food processors operating in regions within the North Zone in a function held at East African Hotel in Arusha yesterday.

He said database at the moment has information about market outlets in Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar, adding that his organization in the later dates would extend the scope to cover other large markets within the country and in East Africa, depending on the demand.

“This database has contact details of the distributors, the name of the agents and variety of products he/she sells and even the size of his shop (floor steps) of which will help the producer or the processors to know the sales capacity of the said agent or distributor,” he said.

He said in coming up with the POS database, SCF managed to survey 14,904 market outlets in Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar, touching on 19 major food categories.

Bulemo said POS will help entrepreneurs to increase their sales through identification of appropriate distribution channels based on market segments.

Introduction of the database was well received by food processors who attended the launch in Arusha, saying that it will help them to save both time and money spent in carrying out market research.