Engule Bern is the founder of Saben Foods, a for-profit social enterprise integrating hundreds of the last mile small producing farmers into sustainable supply chains in Northern Uganda. He is among 15 young adults selected for the SHIFT summer cohort - 2022, “Launching into E-Commerce,” benefiting immensely from the business incubator/accelerator program. Here is his story;
My idea for Saben Foods came about because most remote farmers in Uganda do business in disorganized food markets with limited transport, lack of finance for aggregation, and no connection between producers and final buyers. Farmers are often forced to sell to middlemen for low prices, busy urban food retailers, 80% of whom are women, struggle to find a reliable supply of high-quality and traceable produce, and rural employment opportunities are limited.
Unhindered internet access is now no luxury but a necessity in daily business transactions worldwide. Saben Foods plans to leverage digital and mobile technology to offer a distribution platform for most remote small-producing farmers and a purchasing center for busy urban food retailers.
SHIFT Enterprise Academy incubation has allowed us to gain valuable insights from key experts. We really enjoy the diagnostic panel as they make us reason deeply and strategically in areas of managing, pitch deck presentation, and venture structures.
I’m encouraging every budding entrepreneur to register for soon-opening cohorts to learn business development from a world-class mentorship program.
About SHIFT Enterprise Academy
SHIFT Enterprise Academy is a hybrid social enterprise and personal development consulting firm based in the USA with programming in four countries. SHIFT identifies young adults and helps them develop the mindset to solve problems in their own community using the ‘SHIFT Approach.’ The SHIFT Approach is rooted in the SHIFT pillars; Save your money, Help your family, Imagine your goals, Follow directions, and Think accurately.
About ”Launching into E-Commerce”
Launching into E-Commerce is the signature program offered through SHIFT Enterprise Academy. The program features six weeks of training in a virtual classroom. Enterprisers are challenged to use the SHIFT Approach to launch or expand their businesses using digital marketing techniques. At the end of each quarterly cohort, Enterprisers enter an idea’s competition competing for seed funding. All Enterprisers receive ongoing consultancy services. This program is currently underwritten by the support of “Friends of SHIFT.”