Gwamcee News
With latest UNICEF data showing Nigeria has 6 million malnourished children, Nestle has risen to the occasion in reversing the ugly trend.
Malnourishment results in stunted growth, ill health, and economic losses. Nigeria currently has the highest burden of the menace in Africa and the second highest in the world.
Nestle, the manufacturer of breakfast cereal, baby food products, food seasoning and hydrolyzed plant protein, fortifies its products with proteins, fibres and whole grains to ensure that millions of people have the nutritional mix to keep them healthy.
Fortification of staple foods with essential micronutrients has been identified as a viable and cost-effective strategy to combat malnutrition.
In a report on its website, Nestle reveals that 81 per cent of their popular and affordable products are fortified with at least one of the Big 4 micronutrients.
According to the report, the company globally, invested in research and innovation in ensuring that millions of people get these affordable and nutritious products.
Nestle disclosed that its big four brands which are Maggi, Bear Brand, and Cerevita are fortified with at least one of the big 4 micronutrients – Iron: to prevent iron deficiency anemia and maintain cognitive and physical development, Iodine: for optimal brain development and a healthy metabolism, Vitamin A: for growth and development, good eye health, and a strong immune system, Zinc: for growth and development, and a strong immune system.
Also, Nestlé recently launched NIDO Milk & Soya to combat micronutrient deficiency in Nigeria.
The company in a release, said the product combines the goodness of milk and soya while being fortified with iron, offering consumers an affordable, delicious, and nutritious option for creamy milk and plant-based beverages and cereals.
According to the Category & Marketing Manager, Dairy, Ifeanyi Orabuche, “NIDO Milk & Soya is our first affordable fortified dairy and plant blend in the Nigerian market. This unique blend of filled milk and soya is a source of Iron and has other essential nutrients including Protein, Calcium, Vitamin C, and dietary fiber, which support digestion.
“NIDO Milk & Soya joins our portfolio of fortified products to help address the high rate of micronutrient deficiency, especially of Iron in the country.”
In addition, he said that the NIDO Milk & Soya Instant Powder Mix is a product of local expertise, developed at Nestlé’s R&D Center in Abidjan and produced entirely in Nigeria using locally sourced soybeans.
Corporate Communications, Public Affairs and Sustainability lead at Nestlé Nigeria, Victoria Uwadoka in the statement said, “At Nestlé, our decisions are guided by our purpose of unlocking the power of food to enhance quality of life for everyone today and for future generations. With this new product, we are helping to sustain a steady source of revenue to improve the livelihoods of the local farmers who supply the soyabeans used in the production of NIDO Milk & Soya.”
Adding, she said: “This launch is part of Nestlé Nigeria’s ongoing commitment to offering affordable, wholesome and nutritious options for consumers across the country, while providing long term benefits that are good for individuals and families, good for communities and good for the planet.”
Also, in fighting to end malnutrition, the company launched ‘Nestle for healthier kids initiative in Nigeria’ on May 15, 2018, which coincided with the International Day of Families. The initiative is aim at help at least 40 million children globally to lead healthier lives by 2030.
Nestle has been keying into the Sustainable Development Goals in ensuring that an end comes to all forms of malnutrition by 2030, including achieving by 2025 the internationally agreed targets on stunting and wasting in children under five years of age, and address the nutritional needs of adolescent girls, pregnant and lactating women and older persons.
