Bühler joins “Partners in Food Solutions”

Bühler has joined “Partners in Food Solutions” as its fourth partner. PFS is a nonprofit organisation founded by General Mills, which also includes the other leaders in the global food industry, Cargill and Royal DSM of the Netherlands. They collaborate with the development organisations USAID and TechnoServe. The aim is to make the technical and business expertise as well as other resources of the companies involved accessible to small and growing food processors and millers in African developing countries through voluntary employee missions.  

Rather than simply sending technical staff to Africa, PFS is relying on a sustainable knowledge transfer system on the basis of personal employee missions of the companies involved. On the one hand, PSF is working closely with TechnoServe, which offers in-depth country knowledge that helps make for successful on-the-ground program implementation. The second experienced cooperation partner, USAID, helps shape and guide PSF by sharing strengths, experiences, methodologies, and resources through a public private partnership formed in 2010.

Jeff Dykstra, CEO of PFS, comments the new membership of Bühler as follows: “This alliance to which Bühler has now been added strengthens and expands our base of knowledge, deepens our expertise, and ultimately moves us much closer to our goal of helping more than 500 Africa-based food processors. PFS’s unique consortium of world-class industry players connecting their employee expertise with small and growing food companies has the power to improve the whole food sector in Africa and beyond.”

Ian Roberts, chief technology officer of Bühler, adds: “The PFS business model fits perfectly with our culture of commitment to improve the food chain. The over 150-year history of Bühler as a leading supplier of capital equipment to the food industry can now be made available by PFS to the small and growing food companies throughout Africa. We think this is a perfect opportunity for us to use our core competencies for improving food security in Africa.”

Read more about the partnership here.