COMPANY PROFILE

ETHIO HERBS STEVIA GROWERS PLC

The company was established in 2014 by two youngsters, Yared Mesfin and Wudneh
Emishaw who are Enthusiastic about Stevia and the overall sweetening industry. The
main reason to initiate the stevia project basing a business plan is the critical shortage
and increasing price of table sugar which was prevalent by the time. This is a company
of Ethiopian origin, which was based in Shashemene town with its farm site in Arsi
Negele District. It started full operation on a 0.25 ha of land rented from a farmer. The
project was initiated by winning the 100,000 birr competitive entrepreneurship grant
awarded by the ABSF (Agri Business Support Facility) of the Netherlands and 45,000
birr from own contribution. The first idea of the business was to introduce stevia as an
alternative sweetener with high quality packaging material and filter paper in its dried
leaf powder form. However with feedback given on its user friendliness, the
development of Liquid and White crystalline Sugar (Steviol Glycoside) forms was
found mandatory. This was to have more customer attraction and attainment of a
significant market share in the country. An additional derive for product differentiation
was the then high cost of packaging materials, limited use of dried leaves with the
unavailability of filter paper in the country. This was because plastic pet bottles are
easily available in our country with an affordable price and the fact that normal sachets
could be used for the soluble stevia sugar. Yet, we went for the extraction of liquid
stevia in its liquid form and gradually became interested in its crystallized and white
soluble powder form (Steviol glycosides, Reb A….). However, due to the absence of a
fully fledged technology for the extraction of steviol glycoside sugar, the company’s
effort still gets limited to attempting to extract liquid stevia in its crude form. Having
discovered for the presence of a huge market demand for stevia in Ethiopia, the
company has also decided to include the steviol glycoside product form. For better
business performance and Impact, widening the scale of extracting steviol glycoside is
currently planned for implementation when the opportunity of getting the technology
arises. Currently, the company has moved its Stevia processing site from the previous
production area to the capital Addis Ababa and agricultural production site to Gurage
Zone of Southern Ethiopia. Meanwhile, the company managed to start up as a new
project with extraction of Steviol glycoside in the capital. Issues regarding what has
been done so far along with the basic challenges are shown here under:
 What has been done so far?

 Active Experimentation and Product Development is being tried in its liquid form.
Prototypes of liquid stevia product and its extraction system are developed but need
further refinement.
 As an Indicator of customer choice and selection of optimum extraction method a
panelist test was undertaken based on their taste preferences. Studies have already been
conducted with the results documented
 Full sized project document for large scale stevia production and processing is
completed…with detailed analysis of …costs and returns (From theoretical view point
and needs refinement)
 Feasibility study and business plan for large scale stevia production and processing is
completed
 15 years Strategic plan and road map of establishing a huge natural sweetener
production and processing company is developed and completed
 Architectural site map of the company has already been completed
 Suitable areas for the growing stevia in Ethiopia have already been identified with their
specific locations and details.
 A full report of the strengths, weaknesses, costs, benefits and experiences gained so far
from the previous project implementation have been documented with their financial
implications.(Full Audit of the Project so far)
 The agricultural production is now on the shift receiving 1.25 ha of land for expansion
in another location (Gurage area of southern Ethiopia) and currently have a stock of
dried stevia leaves which are not yet sold but waiting for processing facilities. Some
active marketing activity was done using dried and ground stevia leaves for sold to the
public on a bi weekly market day organized for organic agricultural product suppliers
organized by Agri-Profocus.
 We have developed good linkage with the international community (for input and
output marketing) and local farmers who can serve as out growers in the most
productive areas identified in the country.
 Full Documentation of experimental trials and other activities implemented during the
first phase life of the project with their output.
 Basic Challenges

 Lack of highly skilled knowledge and professionals in the area of liquid stevia
extraction, as the company is running the business based on prior experience in the area
of aromatic and medicinal plant extraction.
 Absence of Stevia extraction facilities, machineries or production lines that are designed
for the purpose.
 Lack of knowledge or awareness about stevia in the country, especially among
institutions and the general public which is now getting better and better.
GENERALLY OUR PROJECT IS EMERGING WITH STEVIA LEAF POWDER AND WITH
SOME MARKET TEST DEVELOPED WITH THE PROTOTYPE CRUDE STEVIA EXTRACT AS
A LIQUID PRODUCT. IN BOTH CASES THE NEEDS CRITICAL TECHNOLOGICAL
SUPPORT IN STEVIA PROCESSING AND EXPORT MARKET.

NOTE: THE COMPANY WAS FIRST REGISTERED IN ITS FORMER WORKING PLACE
BUT IS NOW ON THE MOVE TO THE CAPITAL CITY (ADDIS ABABA) AND IS
CURRENTLY IN THE PROCESS OF REGISTRATION AND CERTIFICATION FOR
SAFETY WITH THE NEWLY EXTRACTED LIQUID PRODUCT SAMPLE AT LAB SCALE.
IT IS CURRENTLY ON THE MOVE AS A LARGE SCALE STEVIA PROCESSING
COMPANY

PHOTOS OF SOME ACTIVITIES DURING EXPERIMENTATION WITH

STEVIA AND OTHERS DURING THE PROJECT’S PERIOD

During first round Extraction test The First Crude stevia extract Collaborative stevia planting
For liquid stevia extract trial at Kogaveg (Northern Ethiopia)
 During second round extraction and purification trial

The first Stevia planting trial with its growth challenges (Currently solved)