Overall, Melach employs 10 permanent staff and 18 support staff. The business has a gender diversity ratio of 60:40 for women vs men. The business is structured such that the management team report to the two Executive Directors and 3 Non-Executive Directors who in turn report to a 9-member Board of Advisors. Melach has a 9-member pool of Business Advisors. Going forward, Melach will strengthen its corporate governance by constituting an active, well diversified Board of Directors. These will be charged with supporting the two Executive Directors drive strategy. The organogram of the organization is highlighted below:
Michael Annan-Forson (Managing Director): Michael has 8 years working experience in an international coconut processing company in Bangkok, Thailand as a HR Manager. He holds a BSc. in Business Administration (HR Management) and MBA in Human Resource and Organization Management from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST). He previously worked with World Vision Ghana as the Head of Northern Regional Human Resource. Michael has also worked in HR at different formal sectors including the health, and the oil and gas industries At Melach, he provides guidance and leadership to the team by executing business strategy to achieve short- and long-term goals, reporting to the Board of Advisors and liaising with all business stakeholders. He also creates, communicates, and implements the organization's vision, mission, and overall direction.
nita Korsah, PhD (Director of Operations): Anita is responsible for overseeing the smooth running of daily operations. She is also responsible for training, evaluation, and assessment of coconut oil plant workers and ensures the steady flow of both raw materials to the plant and the easy flow of finished products through wholesale distributors to the market. She ensures the effective functioning of the production team and the coconut oil production plant. She also ensures the smooth operation of equipment by completing preventive maintenance requirements, calling for repairs and ensuring that the plant always meets the expected safety and health standard. Anita previously worked with COCOS Edible Oil Refinery in Bangkok, Thailand as a Production Manager and with NISA catering and Bakery Training School as a Food Processing Manager. She holds a BSc. in Food Science and an MSc. in Nutrition and Dietetics from KNUST. Anita also has a PhD. In Food Science and Technology from KNUST.
When a rabbi boarded a plane from Israel to Ghana in 2016, it was a journey that would change the fortunes of an entrepreneur who had set his sights on creating a coconut company. Michael Annan-Forson, CEO of Melach Coconut Processing Farm, had recently advertised coconut oil that was made in his kitchen on the networking website LinkedIn.
A businessman in Jerusalem reached out to the Ghanaian entrepreneur, requesting a sample. Impressed with the quality of the oil, he asked Annan-Forson if he could manufacture six tonnes and send it to Israel.
The entrepreneur, who had only made coconut oil on a small scale, accepted the order and set about figuring out how to ramp up production. He was paid USD 35,000 upfront by the Israeli businessman to fast-track the process.
“The man sent me the whole amount without even knowing if I was authentic or not. I had to pack up everything in my flat in Accra and move to Kumasi in the Ashanti region where I was able to rent a factory space and purchase a small grinding machine,” says Annan-Forson. He was able to complete the order in only seven days, processing the coconuts quicker than expected. The rabbi was sent to Kumasi to certify if the oil met the kosher standards of the Jewish religion.
Started with 5USD from kitchen in a rented single-room apartment at Awoshie, Accra Michael was able to engage only 3 ladies on temporal bases from his neighbors (one was a physical challenge) to support him.
This was the first coconut oil we produced from the kitchen. The colour was extremely gold but excellent aroma, so I could not sell but dash them to a Pastor.
Michael started Melach Coconut Processing Farm with 3 women at his veranda at Awoshie, in Accra. One of these three women is a disable.
This place is Michaels’ kitchen where he stores the coconut milk for fermentation after the three(3) women finished extracting the milk using their bare-hands.
These five (5) pieces of samples in glass jars (200ml) processed at the kitchen of Michael at Awoshie in Accra, Ghana and were sent to the first Israeli customer who made a request through LinkedIn platform.
Michael moved from Accra to Kumasi in the Ashanti region of Ghana and rented an affordable processing site to enable them meet the standards of PPRA, FDA & GSA and to start production for the first 10tons. These pictures were our first processing site rented in Kumasi, Ashanti region of Ghana.
DFID-UK/INDIA GRANT AWARD THROUGH IMC INTERNATIONAL In 2017 we were introduced to a worldwide acceleration programmed called CONNECT TO GROW which was sponsored by DFID India and managed by IMC Worldwide International.
We were introduced to a US based cosmetic industry called ALAFFIA from Olympia, USA who signed a purchase agreement with Melach Coconut Processing Farm to supply them FAIR FOR LIFE CERTIFIED & ORGANIC CERTIFIED virgin coconut oil, Fresh Coconut Water.
o We are presently recycling and adding value to about 20 – 30% of our own by-products and wastes. With the investment, we are targeting to recycle and add value to 100% of our wastes and do some of the wastes from other processors.
o Reduce the use of inorganic chemicals as weedicides on farms because we collect the weeds from the farms and recycle them as organic weedicides and thereby helping the farmers to practice organic farming.
Melach Coconut Oil & Soybean Oil Refinery Plant We invested over 166,000USD from our own internally generated funds to acquire new edible refinery plant to increase productivity.
Melach has acquired 6 plots of land at Mpatase near Trade in the Ashanti region of Ghana for the coconut oil and soybean oil refinery processing site
From a rented kitchen in 2015, today by the help of GOD, Melach Coconut processing Farm Limited is operating from our own ultramodern quality food processing facility located at Trede-Mpatase in the Ashanti region of Ghana, West Africa.
USDA-Organic certified
life certified
Certificate for cold press Coconut Oil
CUSDA-Organic certified
life certified
Certificate for cold press Coconut Oil
2019: Achieved 50% increase in revenue from coconut oil, coconut shell potash, fresh coconut water and activated coconut shell charcoal products sold to customers in USA, Togo, Mexico, Ghana, Belgium.
Melach exceeded sales target of 300MT per annum to over 500MT per annum of coconut oil, 60MT per annum of coconut shell potash to 106MT, and scaled up from standard daily production to the shift system.
50% increase in revenue from the previous year.
Plot 3 Block 7, Trede New Site, Atwima Kwawoma District, Kumasi,Ashanti region, GPS: AG-0508-8961.
Email: info@melach.com, Telephone:+233554009060 / +233546617885 / +233201049562
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