Introduction
In the cities of Ouagadougou and Bobo-Dioulasso, several boutiques have sprung up with a common name: “Le panier africain” followed by the name of the city and a number in the image of the latter “Le panier africain Bobo 3”. Their distinctive feature is the promotion and marketing of 100% African and natural products, with priority given to products from Burkina Faso in general and the Hauts-Bassins region in particular. All these stores are franchises.
A franchise to start entrepreneurship
On Friday September 22, 2023 in Bobo-Dioulasso, Mrs Salimata KABORÉ/CISSÉ opened her store “Le panier africain Bobo 3”. A new franchise in the “le panier africain” concept, it was with great enthusiasm that she presented the various products she had on sale to help promote locally produced and processed brands. With products such as certified organic shea butter, dried mangoes, NBF-certified juice and rice, products from structures based in the Hauts-Bassins region are highlighted and offered to consumers.
Promotional policy
Mr. Oumar Cissé, Franchise Manager, came to support the new franchise: “We support them with communication, as well as with the depot-sales system. But we also allow them to take 70% of our products and 30% of other products, as long as they are not imported, but made and processed in Burkina Faso, regardless of the town”, he explained. All this is part of the promotion of local producers, local processing and the consumption of healthy, natural products by the population.
The concept
The store “le Panier africain” brings together local products, 70% of which are produced and processed in Burkina Faso. The concept is based on a franchise system that promotes local, organic, natural and certified products. With a few boutiques in Ouagadougou and Bobo-Dioulasso, the promoters’ ambition is to extend these stores to all regions of Burkina and to all neighborhoods, with a view to supporting and promoting local production and processing. Banfora, Dédougou and Koudougou are the next stages in the stores’ expansion, before they go international.
Franchise conditions
In order to preserve product quality, a number of protocols accompany the opening of a franchise. In fact, a contract linking the main franchisee with the new promoter includes clauses relating to organic and natural products, their conditions of deposit, quality conditions and terms of labelling, packaging and product quality control.
Conclusion
Promoting and marketing African products is a real challenge for some African countries, which are more inclined to buy what is imported. In Burkina, initiatives to promote local consumption are legion, and although they face enormous difficulties, they are gradually carving out a place for themselves.
