By Vivian Ihechu
Nestlé Nigeria Plc on Wednesday re-launched its Golden Morn brand, a product created and produced in Nigeria by Nigerians with 100 per cent locally-sourced agricultural and packaging materials.
Speaking during the re-launch at it’s Agbara factory, Nestle Managing Director, Mr Mauricio Alarcon, said Nestle Golden Morn Maize was fortified with GRAINSMART in fresh new maize design with modern stand up pouch.
According to him, GRAINSMART is a unique blend of vitamins and minerals including Vitamin A, Vitamin B1, Vitamin B5, Vitamin C and Iron.
“We are committed to contributing meaningfully toward improving Nigeria’s nutrition profile and to the growth of the national economy.
“Nestle Golden Morn, a product created in Nigeria by Nigerians, is produced in Nigeria with 100 per cent locally sourced agricultural and packaging materials.
“Local sourcing is not only a smart business decision to ensure supply. It is also the right thing to do as it contributes to transforming small and medium scale businesses involved in Nestle’s value chain either directly or indirectly.
“Our business model is built on our belief that our business will only be profitable in the long term by creating value for shareholders and for the society, particularly in the communities where we operate, a concept we call Creating Shared Value (CSV),” he said.
Alarcon said that an estimated 200 million people in Africa are undernourished, a figure that had increased by almost 20 per cent since the early 1990s.
“At Nestlé, we are committed to helping to develop sustainable solutions to this menace through the inclusion if bio-fortified food crops and the fortification of our products.
“Today, over 80 per cent of Nestlé products sold in Nigeria is fortified with micro nutrients, reaching 34 million households.”
Also speaking, Mr Aboubakar Coulibaly, Category Manager, Diary, Nestle Nigeria Plc., said: “GRAINSMART is a smart blend of iron and vitamins (B1, B5 and C) specially made for cereals.
“This aids the normal release of energy in the body and contributes to mental performance and learning,” Coulibaly said.
The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Alhaji Sabo Nanono, represented by the Director, Federal Department of Agriculture, Mrs Karima Babangida, commended Nestle for being a key stakeholder and partner of the ministry in producing and supplying quality and nutritious products toward the reduction of malnutrition in Nigeria.
“The re-launch of Golden Morn fortified with vitamins and minerals could not have come at a better time than now.
“This is a typical private sector investment that would contribute to greatly reducing malnutrition and boosting the economy of our nation.
“The Federal Government is encouraging more private sector investment in the production and marketing of bio-fortified foods and other micro-nutrient-rich commodities,’’ the minister added.
Also, Dr Chris Isokpunwu, Head of Nutrition, Federal Ministry of Health, commended the company for its contributions toward improving the nation’s health indices.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Nestlé Golden Morn can be eaten by all members of the family as a smart source of energy for all.