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Eugenia Paredes Sarria, born in Popayan, is the manager of Frutanna SAS, a company specialized in the production of dehydrated fruit, and is taking steps to establish itself as a company.
Along the way, the company opened its production facility this month. The micro-entrepreneur spoke about her experience and stressed the importance of leveraging both private and public resources to move forward.
（El Dorado opens space for local chop businesses).
What is the function of Frutana?
It is a company run by a white woman that produces highly nutritious food based on dehydrated fruit. I am a political scientist by profession and many people ask me what I am doing with dehydration. I have a mother, the head of the family, and a cooking teacher who is a pensioner. In 2018, I lost my job and in a city like Popayan, things become complicated.
How did this idea come about?
My mom always delivered dry foods to offices and I started selling them. When I lost my job, my plan B started to become plan A. And so our business was born, which was then called “Anita’s Taste, Healing Foods Made with Love.”
（Almost ready!: See what the country’s first IKEA store will look like).
How did this process begin?
One day I attended a meeting of the Popayan Women Entrepreneurs Network, which conducts business creativity training, and there I met the Mundo Mujer Foundation, which changed my life.
Have you started preparing?
Yes, my mom owns a restaurant and I have always had a connection to cooking. With knowledge at my fingertips, I started training in financial BroadCast Unitedligence and everything related to personal resource management, and I started attending training courses at the Cauca Chamber of Commerce.
The Mundo Mujer Foundation provides us with very important financial support.
（“Only 6.5% of companies will survive”: Confecámaras).
Political science gave me skills in how to approach clients and public relations. I also learned that there is a very important entrepreneurial ecosystem in Popayan. If there is a call, I will show up.
How do you work with the Mundo Mujer Foundation?
In 2019, I came to the 4th Leonor Melo de Velasco Forum and consolidated my project. I presented my product and I had the opportunity to learn about other processes. The forum had a surprise prize and I was the winner. It included 2.5 million dollars as seed money for a larger capacity oven. I used to dehydrate a pound of strawberries. A box of strawberries has 8 to 10 kilos and now it can be processed. The Foundation invited us to trainings and business meetings and we have not lost contact since then.
how is the progress?
I have been achieving this scale of growth through my foundation, but I have also leveraged my city’s business ecosystem, including the Chamber of Commerce, the Mayor’s Office, the Department of Agriculture, and the Senate. In 2021, I applied for the Emprender Fund a second time, and we received $80 million in seed funding. Thanks to these resources, the plant will be inaugurated this month.
（Eyes! New York to impose restrictions on Airbnb rentals).
What do you think your strategy is?
I lack financial resources, and my strategy is to use entities, public and private.
What is the number?
Last year, we achieved $45 million in sales thanks to the installed capacity that the Mundo Mujer Foundation contributed to my company. Now, with the results achieved by the Emprender Fund and Sena, our goal is to raise $100 million between March 2022 and March 2024. I hope to break even in five years.
How do you market?
Most of the dried fruits are sold digitally.
In 2019 I had a branch, but due to the pandemic it closed. We also started selling outside of Popayan. I understood that my purpose was not to open a store, but to produce. I also sell to physical points.
（Strive to use less energy in the production process of craft beer).
What is the strength of the product? So what are you waiting for?
The mix has no added sugar or preservatives. I am taking steps to export and sell to large stores. I wish I had the resources to do everything at once, but step by step I love my company and understand the impact it has on society as my subject also becomes an economic driver for my city.
What advice do you have for entrepreneurs?
Dreaming is the first step to success. So I suggest you dream. If you have a career, monetize it because there is nothing cooler than making money for something you love and want. The problem with starting a business is the network. One person can’t get there, with the network you can get there, it may not be easier, but you can get there more safely.
Constanza Gomez Guasca
Portfolio Reporter
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