Food Retail Industry Challenge Fund

Food Retail Industry Challenge Fund (FRICH): supporting African farmers through innovative business partnerships

Apply now!Imports of fresh fruit and vegetables to UK and other European markets provide a significant source of income for smallholder farmers and agricultural workers in African countries. The Food Retail Industry Challenge Fund (FRICH) aims to improve the lives of these farmers and workers, by increasing European imports of food from countries north of South Africa and south of the Sahara.

FRICH supports new ideas that connect African farmers with global retailers in innovative business partnerships. FRICH achieves results by removing blockages to market access and making sure that European shoppers know what differences their purchases make to poor farmers.

FRICH is already supporting 11 innovative partnerships, in Kenya, Democratic Republic of Congo, Malawi, Rwanda, São Tomé and Principé, Ghana, Uganda, Zimbabwe and Ethiopia. These partnerships focus on tea, coffee, a chocolate drink, fresh produce, berry fruits, juice/smoothies, flowers, tilapia fish and vanilla.

4th Round now open

FRICH is now open for a fourth round of funding to food brands and retailers. Proposed projects will need to bring improved incomes for large numbers of poor people on a sustainable, commercial basis. In this new round of funding, FRICH has established new criteria for eligible bidders and projects:

  • UK and European retailers and brands are eligible to apply for funding
  • Grants requested from FRICH must be between £150,000 and £1 million
  • Bidders must demonstrate the financial wherewithal to provide finance of an amount at least equal to the grant
  • Eligible initiatives now include partnerships designed to turn successful pilots into larger scale projects
  • The FRICH-funded part of projects must completed by end December 2013
Last updated: 03 Nov 2011