Post-harvest fruit loss is a big problem in Africa. Farmers lose up to 40% of their fruit crops because they don’t store them properly, process them correctly, or have the right infrastructure. Setting up a juice processing plant is a good and profitable way to solve this problem. Juice plants can turn extra and perishable fruit into drinks that can be stored on shelves for a long time, transforming losses into business opportunities.
At KCE’s Mineral Water Business, we help business owners all over Africa build top-notch juice processing plants along with mineral water and CSD plants. This is how juice plants deal with fruit loss after harvest.
1. Make juice from extra fruit that lasts a long time.
Juice plants let farmers and cooperatives turn seasonal fruit gluts into drinks that last a long time. Products stay fresh for months thanks to pasteurisation and aseptic filling. This cuts down on waste and boosts farmers’ incomes.
2. Creating value-added products from imperfect fruit
Fresh markets won’t take many fruits that are too small or have spots on them, but they are excellent for making juice. A juice processing plant can buy these at a lower price and turn them into drinks that make money, which helps keep losses on the pitch to a minimum.
3. Expanding the market beyond the local seasons
Juice plants let fruit be processed at the height of the harvest and sent all over Africa and beyond all year long. This makes you less dependent on fresh produce markets that change a lot.
4. Bringing in new processing technology
KCE’s modern juice processing lines include
- There are systems for washing, pulping, and extracting fruit.
- Mixing sugar syrup and pasteurising drinks
- Centralised CIP systems and homogenisers (more on juice lines)
These machines make sure that raw fruit has a high yield and that there are few losses during processing.
5. Making the Cold Chain Independent
Pasteurised juice in bottles, pouches, or Tetra Pak-style packs cuts down on the need for expensive cold storage, which makes it easier for farmers and distributors to reach faraway markets.
6. Mixing with other drinks (CSD and mineral water)
Using modular KCE equipment, one facility can make juice, process carbonated soft drinks (CSDs), and bottle mineral water all in one place. This makes the most of factory space and increases ROI.
7. Packaging for Safety and Profitability
KCE’s high-quality packaging machines make it possible to bottle in a clean and cost-effective way:
- Filling PET bottles
- Labelling (BOPP, sticker, sleeve)
- Shrink wrapping and conveyors (Details about Packaging Machinery)
Packaging keeps products from going bad and makes them last longer, which protects the brand’s value.
Why You Should Work with KCE’s Mineral Water Business
KCE provides complete juice processing plant solutions all over Africa:
- Design, build, and set up juice lines.
- Putting together with water and CSD plants.
- Training for employees and help after the sale.
- Experience with exports and a steady supply of spare parts.
KCE can help you turn fruit losses after harvest into drink lines that make money.
Q1. What does a juice processing plant do to keep fruit from going bad?
It turns fruit that is extra or not wanted into juice that lasts a long time. This stops waste and helps farmers make more money.
Q2. What does KCE’s juice processing plant have?
The process involves washing, pulping, pasteurising, blending, filling, packaging, and cleaning in place (CIP) systems for fruit.
Q3. Is it possible to make juice and mineral water or soft drinks at the same time?
Yes, KCE has modular solutions that let you add CSD or bottled water lines.
Q4. What kinds of packaging are there?
We offer bottles made of PET, glass, cans, and pouches with labels and shrink wrap.
Q5. Does KCE offer training and installation in Africa?
Yes, KCE installs everything, trains operators, and gives support after the sale in all African countries.