Innovation

With Gambia’s endless amount of cashew cultivation, Smiling Group together with the farmers, came up with a model that makes it possible for the processing of the nuts to stay in the country under fair conditions and thus contribute to poverty reduction. The nuts then go to Sweden, without unnecessary intermediaries and detours.

"We do not only sell cashews like everybody else, it’s so much more. When you buy from us you support a whole country’s development."

Inspiration

One of the key factors to success is how Oscar, along with his colleagues, has always emphasized the fact that they do this together with everyone involved. "We’ve gone from a belief that they work for me, to the fact that they work for oneself and it is you together with all the other employees and us that are doing this for one common goal - to have a job that I can count on and to make a difference while doing it."

Oscar has many visions for the future. For instance, he sees how they in a maximum of 10 years from now will be able to eat the bags of nuts and drink the juices. He also embraces the idea of building a Smiling Group factory in Gambia one day. Then by 2026 he wishes to celebrate that they have become Gambia’s largest employer with over 1,000 employees.

The biggest change to be a part of for Smiling Group is the change to the whole mindset about moving from looking at the Gambian as the aid recipient to the Gambian as the employee and exporter.

Overall impact

Today Smiling Group is practicing the same model also in the immediate area to Gambia as in Ghana, the Ivory Coast, and in Burkina Faso, as well as in China and India.

The range of commodities has grown from only cashews to peanuts, mangos, and coconuts. And the product family consists of nuts, juices, and energy bars.

The nuts are processed in the same country where they are grown and harvested. This has created local jobs and allow the value of processing to remain in the country.

By using the QR-code on the products you get the opportunity to ”meet” the farmer behind the product by watching a short movie in which you also get to know what Smiling Group farming has meant to him/her.

Business benefit

The turnover last year was 19.5 million SEK.

The main benefit is that they have helped to build up the local factories and with that, increased the amount of job opportunities. "To have the locals doing the whole production themselves in their country is the best for everyone and that’s the way we want to keep it."

Previously, one problem had been that the farmers did not know what price they would get for their harvested nuts. Now the farmers get paid immediately which they have never experienced before. They know from the start what price they will get.

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Social and environmental benefit

By actively choosing Smiling Group’s products you will help to create fair conditions and local jobs in the villages they work with.

For instance, the products produced under fair conditions are guaranteed by Fairtrade labelling.

And the nuts are organically grown without pesticides or additives. And they have removed unnecessary transportation and unnecessary middlemen.

The fact that they are keeping the production in the country does not only equal job opportunities, it also gives a huge feeling of pride and self esteem. Oscar gave an example from the employees: ”We are competent to actually export our products to Europe and we are able to sell them to one of the richest countries in the world.”

Interview

Oscar Carlsson, CEO, founder