Blue Skies - Benin: Baseline Report

Blue Skies supplies fresh-cut prepared fruit to European grocery chains, via a business model that adds value at source through positive social impacts in the communities where the fruit is grown, harvested, processed, and packaged. This ‘adding value at source’ model is designed not only to deliver better quality products, but also provide opportunities for employment, skills development, and technology transfer within the communities where the fruit is grown. The Benin fresh-cut factory is the latest addition to the Blue Skies’ network, starting operation in February 2020 and processing coconut, mango and the Smooth Cayenne variety of pineapple. The company believes that with the right investment and support, Benin could offer the unique Sugarloaf pineapple for export to the EU. This report presents the results from the baseline survey collected in July and August 2024 for the research evaluating the social impact of Blue Skies in Benin.