How lockdown and a love for dried fruits led to a new business

With time on their hands during the coronavirus pandemic lockdown, brothers Manny and Samuel Fajemilua turned a love for exotic fruits into a business.

They signed up to the Amazon Small Business Accelerator programme for advice on getting their new venture off the ground and are now selling their products on Amazon's online store.

Manny shares the story of Jungle Fruits.

The free Amazon Small Business Accelerator e-learning programme is advice from more than 30 business experts in over 200 bitesize videos.

If you're already an Enterprise Nation member, log in to your learning dashboard. If you're not an Enterprise Nation member, you can join the Amazon Small Business Accelerator for free here.

How did you come up with the idea for your business?

"Since childhood, my brothers, sisters and I have consumed dried fruits as a snack. During a volunteering trip to Madagascar, my brother Samuel experienced fresh exotic fruits including lychees, dragon fruit and papayas. He brought some back to the UK for our family to try, which caused amusement from our parents who said those fruits were available in their backyards when they lived in Nigeria.

"We ran into the issue of the exotic fruits going off quickly and the inconvenience of having to peel them, so we dried them with a dehydrator and had them as an on-the-go snack. Our friends and work colleagues were curious and asked us what we were eating. When we shared the snacks, they loved them.

"Lockdown came along and we both had more time on our hands. We thought there might be a commercial market for dried exotic fruits. We did some research, bought another dehydrator, sourced fruits from wholesalers and launched the business."

What start-up challenges have you faced?

"Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we've faced challenges in our supply chain so we’ve had to expand our supplier base to ensure that we have the products to fulfil customers’ orders. We are still figuring out different ways to overcome this challenge and are constantly looking for new sustainable ways to source our fruits.

"COVID-19 has also meant that we have had to focus mainly on selling online rather than in physical stores. There have been both pros and cons. In terms of pros, it has given us more time to focus on our social media strategy, selling on online marketplaces and developing content. On the other hand, it has meant limited opportunities for engaging with potential customers at local community events.

"The biggest effect that the pandemic has had on our business is the price of raw products and the cost of delivery. This has decreased our margins."

Why did you decide to join the Amazon Bootcamp and what tips did you pick up?

"We decided to attend the Bootcamp to learn how to properly sell online. We wanted to take advantage of Amazon Brand Registry to build our brand and access the e-learning opportunities that are specific to selling online.

"The Amazon bootcamp offered us the opportunity to access advice on many topics including starting a business from scratch, brainstorming ideas, marketing, funding and hiring team members.

"A tip I picked up is that you will have many different customers at different stages but if you can build a community by creating processes for all stages and customers, it will encourage community growth. Building a community encourages loyalty and relationships between your brand and your customers."

What actions did you take after taking part in the Bootcamp?

"We decided to sell on Amazon's online store as we thought that it would be an amazing opportunity for us to reach a wider audience and gain feedback on our products to see which are the most popular.

"By taking part in the Bootcamp, we were able to understand how Fulfilment by Amazon (FBA) works. After the Bootcamp, we sent our first package using FBA.

What tips have you picked from the Amazon Small Business Accelerator e-learning programme?

“The video on 'how to create a visual brand identity' was useful.

"Start-up businesses need to stand out and brand identity helps you to do that. It’s not just your logo that helps consumers identify you but also other things such as your typography, the tone you use in your copy and the colours associated with your brand. You can't accommodate every consumer so you need to think which customers you want connected to you the most and what personality you want them to associate you with.”

"In the video on 'mastering logistics', I picked up the tip for connecting to customers via your packaging. It does not have to be the most expensive packaging in the world but subtle actions such as adding quotes, including flyers, providing promo codes and using thank you notes help to build customer relationships."

What are your top tips for business success based on your experience so far?

"Understand and empathise with your customers. The more you can understand customer pain points, the more buy in you will get. When you provide excellent customer service alongside an excellent product, customers will be more inclined to grow with you and be a loyal part of your community."

Which other entrepreneur inspires you?

“An entrepreneur I really admire is Rachael Twumasi-Corson, co-founder of Afrocenchix. It was one of the first black hair brands to launch in Whole Foods, Holland & Barrett and Boots.

"She inspires me because of her humble beginnings creating products in her kitchen at university to selling in numerous stores across the world. She has changed what it means to manage afro hair and created a natural solution."

The free Amazon Small Business Accelerator e-learning programme is advice from more than 30 business experts in over 200 bitesize videos.

If you're already an Enterprise Nation member, log in to your learning dashboard. If you're not an Enterprise Nation member, you can join the Amazon Small Business Accelerator for free here.