In key partners and suppliers we look at the people and companies who we acquire our key resources and activities from. The Mo Nutro Project relies heavily on buyer/supplier relationships to make these activities happen. Designed to optimize the allocation and resources the growing of the Moringa trees is outsources to local farmers, who are being educated by KITA. KITA buys the leaves from the farmers and adds value to them by drying and grinding them into a powder form which then in turn is sold in their own shop, to local schools and supplied to hospitals.
Other partnerships include strategic alliances with local non-competitors motivated by the need to acquire knowledge KITA students are allowed to visit local NGO’s in the business of processing Moringa leaves and selling it’s powder. KITA itself doesn’t seem to have a lot of knowledge in bringing a product on the market as previous research of TU Delft students has shown. Therefor, we have set up meetings with competitors and other initiatives on how to tackle the Ashanti-market. There are a lot of key partners to be discovered, like local people who will take the transportation of the Moringa leaves and Mor Nutro Powder for account and material suppliers. These parties first have to be shown what kind of opportunities there lie in the Moringa business, and what it could bring them if they would join this market. At this moment, possible key partners aren’t aware of the gaps that lie in this market and that can be fulfilled, and therefor don’t recognize this as a great opportunity to start a business. This current state will continue until some one will be the first to fulfill this key partner role and give an example to the rest. This can be due to the fact that people do not search for a specific opportunity, because opportunities per definition are unknown until they are discovered (Shane, 2000).
Besides these partners, also the commitment of the students, both from KITA and the TU Delft, are of great importance. Ofcourse this also makes the TU Delft itself an important partner.