Efforts to boost capacity and employment in the banking industry in Nigeria received a boost as Crown Flour Mill Limited (CFM), makers of the popular Mama Gold Flour brands, echoed its commitment to providing scaled support resources to bolster the productivity level and employment generating capacity of the industry.
Managing Director of Crown Flour Mill Limited, Ashish Pande said, “The Baking industry is key for food production in Nigeria, it produces bread, a major staple food in the country, not to mention pastries and confectionery.”
According to him, “Asides producing Nigeria’s leading staple food, the bread segment creates jobs for thousands of people employed in its value chain, which ranges from bakers down to street hawkers. Having realised the importance of the segment to the Nigerian economy, in consultation with bakers, we were able to identify skill and knowledge gaps that needed to be closed if the segment was to continue playing its crucial role in supporting the Nigerian economy and food security.
Thereafter, we launched a baking school, which has continued to enhance the skill and know-how of operators of non-mechanized or artisanal bakeries since 2018.”
Speaking about CFM’s baking school and why the firm prioritized bakers’ capacity development, Mr. Olayinka Yusuf, Head, Crown Flour Mill Baking School, explained that the baking school offers bakers the opportunity to enhance their technical and business management skills.
He said, “We believe that with the right knowledge, artisanal bakers can improve their output with their existing equipment, resulting in lower production costs and increased margins.”
