By Vivian Onyebukwa
Nestlé brand Maggi, has launched a first-of-its-kind website in Central and West Africa, offering fresh new twists to well-known African dishes.
It is also serving up a second season of Yelo Pèppè- its popular online nutrition education drama series on YouTube from June 8, 2020, following the success of Yelo Pèppè season one, which recorded over 20.3 million online views.
The brand’s latest launches, are just a few of the innovative ways Maggi is meeting its consumers’ digital and nutritional appetites, while also contributing to Nestlé’s purpose of enhancing quality of life and contributing to a healthier future.
The website, which provides over 40 African recipes on an easy-to-use platform, can help families cook balanced and nutritious meals.
“Maggi innovates once more by providing different variations of beloved African dishes that offer something for every food lover,” said Dominique Allier, Business Executive Officer for Culinary at Nestlé Central and West Africa in an online press conference and launch of the website. “We are proud to be the first region worldwide chosen by Maggi to launch this unique website”, he added.
The new website, which was built in collaboration with top African chefs, expert nutritionists and local food influencers, provides helpful tips in some recipes on how to boost your iron intake and balance dishes.
Also speaking, Akua Kwakwa, Nutrition, Health and Wellness Manager for Nestlé Central and West Africa, stated that,“As well as highlighting the importance of including nutritious diets in our daily lives with well-known family favourites, people across the globe now have easy access to traditional African recipes we know and love”.
“For people who are more concerned about sodium, saturated fat and added sugars, the website features the unique ‘MyMenuIQ™’ guide that illustrates how nutritionally-balanced each recipe is. The higher the score, the more balanced the meal is,” she added.
To help people “cook the difference”, Maggi has been organising local events to encourage healthy cooking, like pop-up kitchens, cooking caravans and online nutrition education programmes, which have reached over 10 million people across the region.
The brand also aims to boost the nutrition of families at an affordable price, by improving the nutritional profile of its bouillons and other products through reducing salt and increasing micronutrients such as iron, to help tackle iron deficiency.
In addition, the brand pledges to use more familiar ingredients that people know and can find in their kitchens. For example, Naija Pot, Signature, D3d33d3 and MaMeun are some of the brand’s new products made with everyday ingredients like smoked fish, shrimp, onions, garlic, ginger and chilli pepper.
It also commits to increasing local sourcing and building to the local economy, creating more value for society. For example, 100% of MAGGI bouillons sold in Central and West Africa are manufactured by its 2,000+ local employees. Also, nearly three quarters of the raw materials used in these products are sourced locally from suppliers, providing income and creating job opportunities for thousands of Africans.
