Consultant for the Implementation of the Fair Price Shops Business Model in Bole Lemi, Adama, and Hawassa Industrial Parks

Introduction

The Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) is a Swiss-based foundation launched at the United Nations in 2002 to tackle the human suffering caused by malnutrition. Working with governments, businesses, and civil society, we aim to transform food systems so that they deliver more nutritious foods for all people, especially the most vulnerable.

Background

GAIN (Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition) is dedicated to improving the consumption of nutritious foods for all, especially the most vulnerable ones. The Workforce Nutrition project is one of the projects implemented in Ethiopia, which focuses on improving the health and well-being of workers in industrial parks through collaborating with the employers, government partners and private sector to make nutritious food available to the vulnerable workers.

Industrial parks in Ethiopia, including those in Hawassa, Adama, and Bole Lemi, play a pivotal role in the country’s economic growth. These parks are designed to attract investment, foster industrialization, and provide employment opportunities. However, workers in these parks often face challenges related to nutritious food access, impacting their health and productivity.

Workers in these industrial parks frequently encounter difficulties accessing a diverse range of nutritious food options. The limited presence of affordable and high-quality food vendors within or near the parks exacerbates this issue. Additionally, due to market dynamics and supply chain constraints, nutritious food items can be priced out of reach for many workers, leading to suboptimal dietary choices. The existing food retail infrastructure within these industrial parks often fails to meet the needs of the workforce, resulting in reduced access to essential nutrients.

Establishing Fair Price Shops (FPSs) within the industrial parks of Hawassa, Adama, and Bole Lemi is one of the GAIN’s Workforce Nutrition project strategies to address these challenges. The primary objectives of this initiative are to enhance access to nutritious food by providing workers with convenient access to a variety of healthy options, improve food affordability by offering nutritious foods at prices that are affordable for workers, and promote nutritious food consumption.

To ensure the successful implementation of the developed business model, GAIN requires an individual consultant that will support the implementation and operation of the FPSs, by addressing the nutritional needs of workers in these industrial parks.

Duty Station: Addis Ababa, Adama, and Hawassa

Duration of the assignment: 3 months with a possibility of extension

Expected Starting Date: November 2025

Objective

General objective:

The general objective of this consultancy is to develop a detailed, practical, and sustainable implementation plan and provide support to improve access and affordability of healthy foods, to ensure the successful implementation and sustainability of the FPSs at the three industrial parks.

Specific objective (Aim for 3-5 objectives):

• Review and customize the existing business model of FPSs as per the needs of the workers and the context of the industrial parks,
• Develop FPS Operational strategy and implementation plan
• Assess and compile potential food item suppliers, in addition to those identified by GAIN, and facilitate market linkage, and optimize the supply chain
• Develop a monitoring framework, data collection tools, and establish a data collection system to measure impact
• Provide technical assistance to the FPSs on marketing, business management, and recording of accessing nutritious foods.
• Build the capacity of FPS to enhance proper implementation and sustainabilityScope of the assignment

The consultancy is expected for a three-month period from the date of contract signing, with the potential for extension depending on the assignment of further tasks. The consultant shall undertake the following tasks to facilitate the implementation and operationalization of FPSs within the industrial parks of Hawassa, Adama, and Bole Lemi:

Tasks and Responsibilities of the Consultant

• Review and Customize FPS business model: to suit local contexts, including product selection, pricing strategies, and recommending suitable approaches /technology solutions for point-of-sale (POS)/ retail outlets systems.
• Rapid Market Assessment for the three Industrial Parks: Assess the existing food environment in and around industrial parks, including current prices, availability, accessibility, and affordability for the workers.
• Supplier Identification and market linkage: support the identification of reliable suppliers for essential commodities, negotiating favorable terms, and ensuring quality control.
• Design Operational workflow and Logistics Network: Designing an efficient and cost-effective supply chain network, including warehousing, transportation, and last-mile delivery of healthy foods.
• Supply chain development: Establish a reliable and efficient supply chain to source healthy food products from local producers or suppliers at a fair price.
• Operational strategy: Design operational processes for the shop, covering inventory management, quality control, food safety, and day-to-day management to reduce costs and increase efficiency.
• Implementation road-map: Develop a step-by-step action plan to guide the implementation of the FPSs.
• Develop training materials and train and equip FPS management, operators, and staff with the necessary skills for effectively managing and operating the shops, store operations, inventory control, and customer service.
• Funding and financial strategies: Identify potential funding sources and advise on strategies for securing financial support for the project.
• Establishing Monitoring Frameworks, developing data collection tools to track progress, and setting up systems for collecting, storing, and analyzing data related to sales and purchase trends of healthy foods.
• Reporting and Recommendations: Generating comprehensive reports with findings and recommendations for continuous improvement and policy adjustments.

MAJOR DELIVERABLES

No	Deliverables	Date Deliverable Due
1	Review and customize the existing business model	November 10, 2025
2	Facilitate rapid market assessment in and around Addis Ababa (Bole Lemi), Adama and Hawassa, create linkage and sustainable supply chain. Establish a monitoring framework & data collection system to follow up sales and measure impact.	November 20, 2025
3	Develop a detailed, practical, and sustainable Operation strategy and Implementation plan	December 1, 2025
4	Develop training material and conduct training for the FPSs workers	December 22, 2025
5	Provide training and support to the FPSs to ensure the successful implementation of accessing nutritious foods in the FPSs and the sustainability.	January 5, 2026
6	Conduct data collection to show the success of implementation.	January 19, 2026
7	Submission of a comprehensive monthly report with practical evidence of the FPS operation	January 30, 2025

Responsibilities of GAIN

GAIN will be responsible for following up on the implementation, processing payment for the consultant upon receiving the agreed deliverables and support in providing information/data about workforce nutrition and linking the consultant with the relevant government and other partners and individuals. GAIN will cover costs related to training and workshops.

Reporting line

The Individual Consultant shall provide a written work status report using the template that will be provided by GAIN, detailing the Services completed, the progress made on the Services to be delivered, the meetings held, and their outcome, and the number of days spent per Service to the Workforce Nutrition Project Manager.

Assessment and Selection Criteria

The evaluation and selection of the individual consultant will be based on, but not limited to, the following criteria:

• Technical Expertise and Past Performance – Demonstrated experience and proven track record in organizing similar assignments, particularly in the food, nutrition, or health sectors.
• Consultant’s Capacity – The ability of the consultant to successfully carry out the assignment, including qualifications, skills, and availability.
• Budget Feasibility and Cost-Effectiveness – Appropriateness of the proposed budget in relation to the scope of work and deliverables, ensuring value for money.

Minimum Qualifications and Experience

• Master’s degree in Business Administration, Business Management, Economics, or a closely related field.
• 5–8 years of proven senior-level experience in business development, management, or related fields.
• Demonstrated experience in business development and management, preferably in the food sector.
• A solid track record of supporting food sector businesses.
• Nutrition-related qualifications and experience are considered a strong asset.
• In-depth knowledge of food security, nutrition, and affordable food systems.
• Strong capabilities in data collection, analysis, and report writing.
• Previous experience with industrial parks, familiarity with the local context, and involvement in similar projects are highly desirable and advantageous.