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Fruit

Plantain: what can it become?

A starchy cooking fruit that can be turned into chips, flour, ripe-fruit foods and useful by-products.

  1. Raw plantain
  2. Processing
  3. Value-added products
  4. Packaging
  5. Markets
  6. Customers

Fresh plantain spoils quickly, and poor storage and handling mean much of the harvest is wasted before it reaches the buyer. Processing into dry or fried products gives a longer shelf life, makes the fruit easier to carry to distant markets, and lets sales continue when fresh fruit is scarce. Peels and stems, often thrown away, can also become raw material for other products.

What can plantain become?

Plantain chips

Thin slices of unripe or slightly ripe plantain, fried and sold as a ready-to-eat snack.

Processing
Peeling, slicing thinly, treating slices to prevent browning, frying in vegetable oil, draining, then salting or spicing.
Equipment
  • Peeling knives
  • Slicer
  • Frying pan or fryer
  • Oil draining rack
  • Sealing machine
Packaging
Moisture-proof packs such as plastic or foil sachets that keep chips crisp; clear labelling.
Storage
Keep sealed in a cool, dry place; exposure to air and damp makes chips soft and stale.
Customer types
  • Street and roadside buyers
  • Supermarkets and shops
  • Schools and canteens
  • Urban snack consumers
Distribution
Direct sales by vendors, supply to shops and supermarkets, or through a wholesaler.
Possible business models
  • Own small frying unit
  • Supply to retailers under contract
  • Buy-process-resell

Plantain flour

Dried, ground plantain used in fufu-type meals, baking and infant foods.

Processing
Peeling unripe fruit, slicing or grating, dewatering and drying, then milling and sieving.
Equipment
  • Stainless steel knives
  • Grater or slicer
  • Dryer or drying racks
  • Mill or grinder
  • Sieve
Packaging
Moisture-proof bags of known weight, labelled clearly.
Storage
Cool, dry storage in sealed containers; dried flour absorbs moisture and can go mouldy, and flavour fades if flour is kept too long, so storing dried slices and milling in small batches can help.
Customer types
  • Households
  • Bakeries and confectioners
  • Makers of infant foods
  • Livestock feed producers
Distribution
Sold to households and shops, or supplied directly to bakeries and other food businesses.
Possible business models
  • Own small processing unit
  • Contract milling for farmers
  • Supply to bakery and food manufacturers

Fried and roasted ripe plantain

Ripe plantain cooked as ready-to-eat street foods, such as fried slices or roasted fruit.

Processing
Selecting ripe fruit, peeling and slicing (or leaving whole for roasting), then frying or roasting and serving hot.
Equipment
  • Knives and chopping boards
  • Frying pan or fryer
  • Roasting grill
  • Cooking fuel or gas burner
Packaging
Often sold hot in paper or clean food-safe wraps; hygiene matters more than long-life packaging.
Storage
Best sold the same day; fresh ripe fruit must be kept cool and ventilated before cooking.
Customer types
  • Urban workers and commuters
  • Households
  • Students
  • Event and restaurant buyers
Distribution
Roadside stalls, markets, small eateries and street vending.
Possible business models
  • Street food stall
  • Supply to eateries
  • Mobile vending

Ripe plantain jam

A sweet preserve made by boiling ripe fruit pieces with sugar.

Processing
Washing, peeling, cutting, boiling with sugar syrup, adjusting acidity with lemon juice, concentrating, and filling into jars.
Equipment
  • Peeling and cutting table
  • Cooking pot and stove
  • Stirring paddles
  • Clean glass jars and lids
Packaging
Clean glass jars with tight lids, sealed while hot and labelled.
Storage
Store sealed jars in a cool, dry place; check lids and discard any jar that is leaking or swollen.
Customer types
  • Households
  • Shops and supermarkets
  • Bakeries
  • Hotels and guest houses
Distribution
Local shops, markets, direct orders, and supply to small food businesses.
Possible business models
  • Own small kitchen-based unit
  • Contract production for a brand
  • Buy-process-resell

Peel and stem by-products

Plantain peels and pseudostems turned into soap ash, tannin material or fibre goods.

Processing
Collecting peels and stems after harvest or processing; peels can be burned for ash used in soap making; stems can be stripped for fibre used in rope, mats and bags.
Equipment
  • Collection bins
  • Drying space
  • Burning pit or furnace for ash
  • Fibre stripping tools
Packaging
Bundles of dried fibre or sealed containers of ash; packaging depends on the final product.
Storage
Keep dry and away from damp, and keep clear of food storage areas.
Customer types
  • Soap makers
  • Craft workers
  • Rope and mat makers
  • Small manufacturers
Distribution
Supply directly to local craft and soap makers or through market traders.
Possible business models
  • Collect and sell residues
  • Make crafts or soap in-house
  • Contract supply to producers

The customers, routes to market, business models and many practical tips on this page are suggestions, not findings. Know something better? Suggest an improvement →

Business opportunities around plantain

Sources and further reading

The handling, processing and storage information on this page draws on the sources below. The lists of customers, distribution routes and business models are practical suggestions, not findings from these sources. Links open in a new tab.

Examples describe possibilities, not guaranteed results. Prices, demand and rules vary by country and season — verify locally.