Baobab as a trending ingredient
07 Nov 2018 | Matahi Company
Matahi Company highlighted baobab as a trending ingredient at SIAL 2018. “Baobab is one of the most antioxidant-rich fruits in the world. It is brand new to Europe as it is only been allowed in European consumption since 2008, when it was approved as a novel food,” says Aida Soumaoro at Matahi. The company works with farmers in Benin in west Africa, who have built their own cooperative to work and import the baobab product. “At Matahi, we are making drinks and we have three flavors with mango, hibiscus and a pure & natural baobab. We have Matahi Boost with baobab and guarana, which is an energy drink in four different flavors.” The product appeals to those “who are interested in their health and want to drink something not so sweet but that is pure and natural in nature,” Soumaoro says.
This is Rob Wires at the Sea Island Forest, and I'm here with Aida Sumaro Rowe from the Mattaya Company, and Ida, you're really highlighting baobab as a kind of a trending super fruit.
What what is baobab and why is it really so trendy nowadays?
Yes, so first of all, a baobab is a big tree.
You can mainly find it in Africa.
This is the form of the baobab, and the baobab makes a fruit, which is the fruit of the baobab, this one, which is.
One of the most antioxidant fruits of the world.
It's brand new because it's only allowed to French European consumption since 2008.
This is why this is going to be more and more trendy.
That's when the novel foods regulation.
Yes, exactly.
OK, so what are you doing with this ingredient and where are you sourcing it from yourself in Matai?
What we are doing, we are doing drinks directly.
And this kind of drinks also, which is more an energy drink, and we have three different flavors for this one with mango, hibiscus, and baobab.
Pure and natural, and then you have a range with the Matai Boost, which is with baobab and guarana, the energy drink, and you can find it in 4 different flavors.
What type of consumer would be interested in baobab products?
I think all people who are interested in the.
And who wants to drink something which is not that much sweety and no alcohol and really pure and natural.
Where do you source your products from?
We work with Benin, which is a country in Africa, and we build our own cooperative to to work and to import the baobba pulp.
OK.
Are there more things we can expect to see from your company going forward?
Yes, of course, but it's a secret.
See how it goes.
OK, thank you very much, Ada.
