FDBusiness.com

Nestle has gone on the road in Central and West Africa to provide nutrition expertise and healthy eating tips to consumers. Maggi brand ‘Cooking Caravans’ are travelling through Cameroon, Cote d’Ivoire and Nigeria to educate people about balanced diets, micronutrient deficiency and the importance of culinary hygiene. The programme also aims to encourage cooking at home.

There are five caravans on the road staffed by a team of up to ten Maggi employees and contractors. They travel to towns and cities week-by-week promoting activities tailored to each country. These include interactive cooking demonstrations, women’s forums, group discussions, and presentations on micronutrient fortification.

“The Cooking Caravan is our channel to connect with our consumers face-to-face,” says Maarten Geraets, business executive manager for Maggi in the Central and West Africa region. “We hope it will reinforce the idea that Maggi is a brand they can trust.”

Maggi makes a wide range of products including bouillons and seasonings in West Africa. Nestle fortifies most of the range to help address the four most prominent micronutrient deficiencies worldwide: iron, vitamin A, iodine and zinc. Over a third of people living in developing countries are affected by such deficiencies, according to recent statistics by the United Nation’s Food and Agriculture Organization.