How nutritionist got supermarkets to stock amaranth

When Ann Muthoni started talking about amaranth vegetable, the nutritionist was encouraging farmers to grow it as a cash crop and for the consumers to know its health benefits. Little did she know that the wonder crop would pave the way to entrepreneurial success.

To many Kenyans, amaranth, which grows naturally in the wild, was a type of weed or vegetable mainly eaten by the poor in the 1990s. Ms Muthoni would join hands with Dr Davidson Mwangi—considered the father of amaranth in Kenya—to sensitise the public on the benefits of this wonder crop.

“We were especially interested in the grain amaranth, which most people didn’t know about. Yet it’s nutritious and can also serve as a good cash crop,” says Ms Muthoni who has done extensive research on the crop.

“We travelled to different parts of the country encouraging farmers to grow it and informing people of its value,” she says.

Over the years, the crop which is known as mchicha in Kiswahili, ododo in Luo, terere in Kikuyu and omboga in Luhya, has gained popularity. The heightened awareness created a huge demand for the grain amaranth which eventually provided a business opportunity that Ms Muthoni was quick to grab.

She would buy amaranth grains from farmers for sale to millers who used them to fortify maize flour and other food products. The sales and marketing skills cultivated during a previous job came in handy during this endeavour.

She was eventually able to raise enough capital to start her own company, Annico Enterprises, which produces, packs, and sells a variety of food products. These include fortified maize flour as well as toasted amaranth porridge flour.

Other products are baby weaning formula (a mixture of milled rice and amaranth) and whole grain puffed amaranth that can serve as a breakfast cereal. To guarantee consistent supply, Annico has contracted farmers who grow the grain amaranth and supply it to the company after harvesting.

During the initial stages of the business, Annico’s products were only found in a few, small supermarkets. “The sales were not good and at times I would end up returning some things. But I never gave up as I was confident in the value of the products,” she says.

The persistence finally paid off. Ms Muthoni notes that the demand for her products increased and she also got an opportunity to supply to Tuskys supermarket.

“Since it’s a big supermarket chain frequented by many people and with branches all over the country, this has helped to boost Annico’s visibility,” says Ms Muthoni.

She now sells close to 10 tonnes of amaranth products monthly and rakes in hundreds of thousands of shillings. She has since recouped what she started in the business in 2008.
“But it’s not yet time to relax. I am ploughing back all profits into the business to expand it and reach new markets,” she says.

Ms Muthoni’s success proves that word of mouth can be a powerful advertising tool, especially for novel entrepreneurs who often lack sufficient funds to promote their products through various mass media platforms.

“I talk to people about amaranth everywhere I go, even in matatus. I also do demonstrations where people taste and learn how to prepare various dishes such as chapatis or stew using amaranth products,” she says.

Based on her experience and success, Ms Muthoni calls on anybody who is interested to embrace amaranth as a cash crop.

“There is money in it,” she says, adding that amaranth is filling a huge nutritional gap that still exists in the country. “As Kenyans increasingly adopt healthy lifestyles, the demand for these products keeps rising.”

Amaranth is an immunity booster that is also rich in antioxidants which may help prevent cancer — an emerging public health threat that claims 22,000 lives each year. For pregnant women, amaranth is a good source of iron which forestalls anaemia, a leading cause of maternal deaths in Kenya.

The crop is rich in proteins and calcium that can reduce chronic malnutrition in children. Consequently, researchers are now citing amaranth as the next big thing in the baby food industry.

Fortified foods

Government policy requires that all maize flour be fortified with key nutrients and minerals to tackle the malnutrition challenge. This is currently being achieved through the use of chemical additives, but the government is moving towards food-to-food fortification.

“We will begin using our own natural and nutritious food crops to fortify flour. This will further increase the demand for amaranth,” says Ms Muthoni.

She adds that the current supply of amaranth in the country is still insufficient to meet market demands. “At times during year, I run out of amaranth especially when my farmers didn’t have any.” This, she says, offers a good opportunity for farmers with constant water supply who are able to grow and harvest amaranth all year round.

The consistency is also good for the export market. Ms Muthoni notes that amaranth allows farmers to spend little and gain a lot. “It requires little water and can grow well in almost all soils and climate condition. The grains are also ready for harvesting in about two months.”

Through funding from AusAID, the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology is spearheading a project aimed at boosting amaranth production and trade in Kenya. It organises forums where participants can network with all amaranth market players.

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