Yarmoah Group is building West Africa's first industrial-scale kraft paper bag manufacturer — replacing plastic with locally made, branded, affordable paper bags.
Ghana generates 1.1 million tonnes of plastic waste annually. Plastic bags are a major contributor — and the government is cracking down. The EPA is increasing enforcement of plastic bag restrictions, and retailers face growing regulatory pressure to switch.
The problem? Imported paper bags cost $0.15–$0.25 each — far too expensive for retailers to make the switch commercially viable. And there is no local manufacturer capable of supplying supermarket chains at industrial scale.
That is exactly the gap EcoBag by Yarmoah Group is built to fill — locally manufactured, custom printed, and priced to compete directly with plastic.
A single Shoprite branch in Accra uses an estimated 50,000–100,000 bags per week. Accra has 5+ major supermarket chains with multiple branches each. The demand is not a question — it was already confirmed during our 2020–2021 pilot.
By manufacturing in Accra with MTED RZFD-450 industrial machinery from China and locally sourcing handles, adhesive, and ink — EcoBag delivers printed kraft paper bags at a price point that makes switching from plastic commercially rational for every retailer.
MTED RZFD-450 machine produces 10–34 million bags per year from a single line in Accra. 17.3M bags/year is the Year 1 target — just 50% of machine capacity.
Only kraft paper is imported. Handles, adhesive, and ink are sourced locally in Ghana — cutting variable costs by 40–67% versus importing everything.
Custom 2-colour flexographic printing built into production. Branded bags are produced at no extra handling cost — adding just $0.009 per bag.
Fully compliant with Ghana's plastic bag restrictions and ESG standards. As enforcement increases, EcoBag becomes the only viable local option for retailers.
Compact kraft paper bag with locally sourced twisted handle. Perfect for pharmacies, convenience stores, and small retail outlets.
Standard grocery and retail bag with flat paper handle. The primary SKU for supermarket chains — highest volume product.
Heavy-duty carry bag with locally sourced rope handle for supermarket chains and wholesale distributors. Premium look, local cost.
36 paper bag suppliers exist in Ghana — 91% are single-owner manual operations. None can supply supermarket chains at industrial volume. EcoBag's machinery alone produces more bags in one day than most competitors produce in a month.
| Name | Scale | Threat |
|---|---|---|
| Realma Bags | Small / manual | Low |
| Joldy Paper Bags | Micro / WhatsApp | Very Low |
| UN Packaging Ghana | Small supplier | Low |
| FON Packaging | Small supplier | Low |
| Universal Packaging Gh. | Small supplier | Low |
The real competition is plastic bags and Asian imports. Both are being squeezed — one by regulation, the other by EcoBag's local cost advantage.
| Competitor | How EcoBag Wins |
|---|---|
| Plastic bag producers | EPA enforcement closes the price gap |
| Chinese paper bag imports | EcoBag 50%+ cheaper locally made |
| S.Africa / Morocco exporters | Shipping cost + local advantage |
| Trashy Bags (upcycled) | Different product, different market |
No existing local competitor can supply supermarket chains at scale.
Local handles, ink, and adhesive cut costs 40–67% below any import.
Supermarkets confirmed supply interest before a single bag was made.
EU investor access, German grant eligibility, and Ghanaian market knowledge.
Ghana plastic bag market (2023). 1% market penetration = $6M+ annual revenue. EcoBag's Year 1 target is 25–40% of Accra.
| Segment | Est. bags/month | Phase |
|---|---|---|
| Large supermarkets (3–5 chains) | 270K–900K | Phase 1 |
| Mid-size supermarkets | 225K–720K | Phase 1 |
| Pharmacies (20+ locations) | 300K–600K | Phase 1 |
| Food & fast food outlets | 450K–1.2M | Phase 2 |
| Nigeria (via ESG partner) | Multiples of Ghana | Phase 2–3 |
"I saw supermarkets in Accra ready to make the switch in 2021. The demand was real then — it's even stronger now. I'm coming back to finish what I started."
Forster Yarmoah is a Ghanaian entrepreneur based in Hamburg, Germany, with over a decade of experience in IT and technical operations.
He first identified the paper bag market opportunity during a pilot in Ghana in 2020–2021, where supermarket chains confirmed interest in a supply partnership. The pilot was paused due to capital constraints and his return to Germany for family reasons.
He is returning to Accra in April 2026 to formalise retail partnerships, establish supplier agreements, and gather the ground-level data needed to support the $600,000 fundraise.
His combination of Ghanaian market knowledge, diaspora investor access, and European grant network — including eligibility for GIZ and KfW development bank funding — positions Yarmoah Group to bridge capital and execution in a way no purely local operator could.
Yarmoah Group is raising a $600,000 seed round to fund industrial production machinery from China, a production facility in Accra, and 12 months of working capital. A contract manufacturing bridge generates revenue from day one while machinery is in transit and being installed.
Yarmoah Group is actively seeking retail partners in Ghana and Nigeria, and investors who believe in the West African green economy. We will be in Accra from late April 2026.