Aitas Bee Center, a honey producer in Oskemen, Kazakhstan, started working with USAID’s Enterprise Development Project (EDP) in September 2003 to identify ways to increase sales of their existing product lines. USAID’s program operates in Kazakhstan and throughout Central Asia by working with small and medium-sized businesses to provide expert business consulting services which build long term capacity in the sector.

EDP expert volunteer assistant Jack Getman reviewed Aitas Bee Center's sales strategy and discovered that of the twenty-six items that Aitas shipped to Karaganda, ten of these represented 90% of the company's total sales. The other sixteen varieties - primarily flavored honeys - made up a mere 10% of sales.

Getman suggested that they tackle the problem by adjusting their shipments to focus exclusively on their ten best selling products. USAID’s help had an immediate effect contributing to increased sales by 35%. As a result of the generated sales, the company added two new members to its staff and has been able to purchase new equipment.