In just a few short years, SOO Agro has emerged as an export-focused agribusiness, combining smart farming and disciplined logistics. Founded in 2023 and registered with the Rwanda Development Board, SOO Agro specializes in the processing, preservation, and export of fresh fruits and vegetables, with a strong focus on avocados, French beans, and chili peppers.
According to Operations Manager Israel Bizimana, the company's founder, Irenosen Barbara Ohiwerei, did not arrive in agriculture by chance. With a background in business development and a lifelong passion for farming, she made a deliberate pivot after witnessing a persistent challenge across rural communities: Women working tirelessly on farms, yet earning barely enough to survive.
© FreshPlaza
Operations Manager Israel Bizimana
"She kept asking one simple question," Bizimana recalls. "How do we move women farmers from survival to sustainable income?" That question became the foundation of SOO Agro's export-led growth model.
Smart farming: Making every hectare work harder
SOO Agro operates a 15-hectare farm in Rwanda. Ten hectares are dedicated to avocado orchards, while the remaining five hectares are cultivated with French beans, habanero peppers, and bird's eye chilies.
Avocados are a long-term investment, taking up to three years to reach commercial maturity. Rather than wait, the company adopted a deliberate intercropping strategy, planting Cayenne pineapples and French beans between young avocado trees.
"We intercrop so the land works from day one," Bizimana explains. "It gives us early income and improves soil fertility. Legumes fix nitrogen, organic matter improves, microbial life increases, and weed growth is naturally reduced."
© SOO Agro Ltd.
Rather than wait, the company adopted a deliberate intercropping strategy, planting Cayenne pineapples between young avocado trees.
The farm grows both Hass and Fuerte avocado varieties. Hass is highly sought after in Europe, while Fuerte commands strong demand in the Middle East, which remains the company's primary export market. Produce that does not meet fresh export specifications is channelled to processors for oil extraction or guacamole, ensuring minimal waste and maximum value.
Weekly harvests, weekly flights
Speed is non-negotiable in fresh produce exports, and SOO Agro has built its logistics model around that reality. "Our customers want to receive produce within 24 hours," Bizimana says. "That expectation shapes everything we do, from harvest timing to cargo bookings."
The company exports approximately 12 tonnes of fresh produce every week and relies primarily on air freight to meet this standard. SOO Agro works closely with RwandAir and Ethiopian Airlines, pre-booking cargo space quarterly to ensure reliability, consistency, and uninterrupted supply, even during peak seasons.
While air freight remains the backbone of current operations, the company is actively planning for long-term efficiency. In 2024, SOO Agro made deliberate efforts to scale sea freight volumes, including a planned 22-tonne shipment. "Sea freight is part of our future," Bizimana adds. "As cold-chain infrastructure improves, it will allow us to scale sustainably and competitively."
Beyond the farm: A growing outgrower network
SOO Agro's ambition extends well beyond its own farmland. To scale efficiently, the company operates an outgrower model that currently includes seven partner farmers, each cultivating at least one hectare. "If a farmer harvests only 100 kilos and rents a truck, it's not economical," Bizimana explains with a smile. "Aggregation changes everything."
© SOO Agro Ltd.
French beans
Outgrowers receive hands-on agronomic support through district-level agronomists who provide daily guidance on irrigation, pest control, and harvest timing. "A farmer is like baby care," Bizimana says, smiling again. "You guide them morning and evening." Plans are underway to expand the outgrower network to at least 15 farmers within the next year.
From field to flight: Quality and cold-chain discipline
All produce is graded and packed at the Africa Global Logistics (AGL) packhouse in Kigali. Avocados are graded using mechanised systems, while French beans and chili peppers are sorted manually to meet precise customer specifications. "Quality is non-negotiable for us," Bizimana emphasises. "Every market, every buyer, every shipment."
Produce is transported from farm to packhouse in refrigerated trucks, preserving freshness and extending shelf life. Looking ahead, SOO Agro plans to establish its own packhouse facility near the new Kigali International Airport. The company is GlobalG.A.P. certified for avocados and chili peppers, granting access to regulated international markets, with additional certifications already in progress.
© SOO Agro Ltd.Eyes on Europe, roots in Africa
While the Middle East remains SOO Agro's strongest market today, Europe is firmly in sight. "There is growing demand for high-quality African produce in Europe," Bizimana notes. "We are building the systems now to serve that demand consistently." Initial European exports will focus on French beans and chili peppers, followed by avocados as volumes scale. Minimum order quantities are five tonnes for avocados and two tonnes for chili peppers, designed for serious buyers seeking consistency and long-term supply relationships.
Built for scale
Supported by the Government of Rwanda and partners such as the International Trade Centre, SOO Agro is positioning itself for accelerated growth. "Today's farmers are different," Bizimana reflects. "They use modern irrigation, greenhouses, and better pest control. They are ready for scale." And so is SOO Agro.
For more information:
Israel Bizimana (Operations Manager)
SOO Agro Ltd.
Kicukiro District, Kigali – Rwanda
Tel.: +250 786 112 639
[email protected]
www.sooagro.co.rw
For more information on the Rwandan fresh produce export sector, please contact Charlotte Uwicyeza ([email protected]) of the National Agricultural Export Development Board (NAEB), which will also be present at the upcoming Fruit Logistica: Hall 26, Stand C-61. A joint booth with Rwandan companies can be found at Stand B-80 in Hall 26. Click here for an overview of Rwandan fresh produce exporters.
