Potato Powder Processing

By BASFPlantScienceCC BY 2.0, commons.wikimedia.org

Potato powder is primarily used as a thickening agent in meals. The popularity of the ingredient has increased in recent times providing decent earnings for any potato powder processing company.

 Potato is an important food crop due to its many food applications. Potato could be processed into flour, paste, cooked, boiled or fried making the crop very valuable.

Other uses of potato are in snacks such as meat pies, pizza, potato chips and soups. Nutritional composition of potato includes fat, crude fiber, ash, protein and loads of carbohydrates.

A major challenge faced by manufacturing companies is that potatoes spoil easily and require proper storage and handling.  There are different verities of potatoes and they come in different sizes, shapes, flavors and taste.

The manufacturer needs to source potato suitable for production native to the areas and ecology. Before starting your processing plant you need to write a business plan.

 Try to study industrial trends, conduct a comprehensive survey and carry out marketing research. Other things include amount of working capital needed, equipment, plant size, profit ratio, cost and revenue.

Working out all these provisions will provide a solid business template for the startup enterprise.

How to Start a Potato Powder Processing Company

Location

Potato is the primary raw material used in potato powder production.  Potatoes grow only in certain regions and geographical areas of the world.

 If you fall into this category then you can start a potato powder processing company. A good Location for your factory is close to the source of raw material.

Locate the enterprise close to a major potato market or farm. This strategy cuts down transportation cost, handling and fuel.

 It also provides easy and quick access to abundant raw material. The location you choose should have utilities such as water, electricity and good drainage system.

A good road network and easy access to factory site is very important. Your factory needs a good dry storage facility, proper processing equipment and cheap labor.

Administrative Set up

The administrative set up should include management team, factory workers, security guards and cleaners. Put in place a waste disposal framework and factor labor costs.

Raw Material

Like most plants potatoes have their own growth and harvest season. This might impact on the production capacity of the plant. Some companies dehydrate the potatoes for longer shelf life or import potatoes to cover the short fall.

Machinery used for Potato Powder Processing

Potato powder processing companies use similar equipment. The equipment's are manual, semi automatic or fully automatic machinery.

There are many locally fabricated machinery and top range branded equipment. The financial capability and plant capacity dictates the type of machinery purchased.

Common equipment found in potato, powder companies are steam boiler, pulverizes, dryer and weighing scale. Other equipment's are potato peeling machine, slicing machine and sealing machines.

 A moderate sized establishment should produce about 500kg a day.

How to make Potato Powder

There are two ways to make potato powder. The first method is to wash the potato, peel and grate.

Blanch in large drum of boiling water and introduced to the dehydrator. Once the dehydrator is through, crush the potatoes then blend to produce the powder. The powder is then package in an airtight container and sealed.

The second method involves washing the potatoes, peeling, boiling and mashing. They then go to the dehydrator and later crushed or blended to make powder. The dehydration process is rather lengthy and takes several hours.

Marketing Potato Powder

Despite huge local market for potato powder manufacturers prefer exporting the product. They make huge gain in foreign exchange from the exporting potato powder.

Major outlets for potato powder are hotels, restaurants, delis, fast food outlets and catering schools. The manufacturers could sell to supermarkets, shopping malls and grocery stores in the area.

Register the Company

Register the company and select a business name. Subject your product to standardization test and obtain a NAFDAC number.

Apply for a trade license and export license. You need to pass heath and safety requirement and food handler’s certification.

Your product might be subjected to value added tax and don’t forget insurance cover. Find out the permits and laws guiding food processing industries in your country.

Sell Online

You can sell your produce online to the international community. Create a website and add images of your product including prices.

Include a good description, location, shipping method and shopping cart. Accept online payments through debit/credit card or PayPal.

Use online channels to increase traffic to your website. Use social medial platforms like Facebook, Google+ and twitter.

 Start a home based business and produce small quantities of high quality product. Make sure your product pass standardization test and is approved.