Valuing Biodiversity: My Mission to Bring More of Africa to US Foods

At my company, Journey Foods, we are focused on more than just bringing our customers healthy, nutrient-dense snacks; we want to take them on a journey.

We use technology to help discover and lock-in powerful ingredients in convenient forms while also tagging great, biodiverse ingredients often cultivated in Africa and Asia. One of the ways we do this is through our use of underutilized international ingredients, like our staple fruit, Baobab.

So, why baobab? Never heard of it before? You’re not alone, but there’s a great reason we love it and think you will too. Baobab is one of the most nutrient-rich foods in the world, native to Madagascar and mainland Africa. In particular, we get our baobab directly from farms in Central South Africa and Western Senegal. I, personally visited these farms between 2013 and 2017(pictured below). These amazing fruits contain large amounts of calcium, potassium, Vitamin C, fiber, and protein, making it incredible fuel. It’s been described as a “sour mango” in flavor, tart with strong tropical overtones. Whether you need a mid-morning bite before lunch or a bright note to get your through the day, there isn’t much more you need that baobab can’t provide you. But it has another added bonus.

Baobab cultivation brings income to thousands of female farmers across the areas in which our baobab grows and we continue to find ways to highlight the ethics and impact of each and every product we source into development.

Farming empowers these women and allows them to support themselves and their families. These farming practices also revitalize baobab forests by slowing deforestation and protecting biodiversity in these areas where baobab trees are dying at alarming rates. Our team ensures that our baobab comes from farms that support female farmers across the globe so their journeys can be as impactful as ours.