Olam Cameroon, a subsidiary of the leading global agribusiness and food supply, Olam International, has introduced the first-ever fortified rice brand on the market in Cameroon. The brand, rich in nutrients and vitamins dubbed Riz Bijou Fortifié was officially launched at the Yaounde Hilton Hotel Friday September 24, 2021.
Vibhay Chauhan, Vice President and CEO of Olam Rice Cameroon presenting new brand to consumers during a press conference
The launching ceremony was presided over by Cameroon’s Minister of Trade, Luc Magloire Mbarga Atangana. The event brought together officials from the Ministry of Public Health, World Food Programme, other international organisations, diet and nutrition experts, paediatricians and midwives as well as Olam’s trade partners and senior staff. 
Vibhay Chauhan, Vice President and CEO of Olam Rice Cameroon
Minister Luc Magloire used the ceremony to praise the quality of rice the company has delivered to Cameroonians over the years. He commended Olam for their wise and brave initiative to introduce the fortified rice brand to Cameroon. Presenting the product during a press conference prior to the official launch, Mr. Vibhay Chauhan, Vice President and CEO of Olam Rice Cameroon said the product thought it wise to introduce the brand to help contribute to solving the problem of Anemia and nutrients deficiency still seen as a problem by the Ministry of Public Health.
“Anemia is a major health problem in Cameroon with children and women hit hardest. Its prevalence stands at about 57% among children below five years and 40% for women of reproductive age. Deficiency in iron alongside other minerals is the principal cause of Anemia,” Chauhan stated.
He noted that the company realised that rice, despite its popularity and large consumption rate nationwide has not been offered as a source of micronutrient availability as opposed to other products like salt and obligatory fortification of vegetable oils and wheat flour with vitamins and essential minerals.
“We at Olam believe in the huge potential of rice in the fight against hidden hunger across the globe and have been working over the past few years to develop rice fortified with typically deficient micronutrients through many collaborations with some of the best in the industry, through multiple efforts, repeated improvements and extended tests and trials,” Vibhay Chauhan told reporters.
Rich in nutrients and vitamins Riz Bijou Fortifié
On his part, Olam’s Marketing Manager, Larry Agbornyenty, revealed that the company’s two decades stay in the Cameroon’s rice market has enabled it to better master the changing nutrition and food needs of consumers.
Olam’s Marketing Manager, Larry Agbornyenty
“…the evolving food and nutrition needs of the Cameroonian consumer has inspired our introduction and development of some of the nation’s celebrated brands like Riz Meme and Riz Bijou,” Agbornyenty explained.He added: “What we are bringing to Cameroonian today is a brand of healthy rice, with added minerals and Vitamins, with same taste, easy to cook, turns out perfect on the dining table. The nutrients are highly beneficial to consumers and have health benefits – such as everyday strength, improved immunity, healthy heart and sharper brain. Though good for all persons, they are particularly important for pregnant women and growing kids”.
Briefing reporters on the brand’s benefits, FOTSO Samuel, ace Dietician and Nutritionist who doubles as General Manager of Bio Diet, disclosed that Riz Bijou Fortifié comes with added health nutrients including among others Iron, Zinc, Vitamin B3 (Niacin) Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine), Vitamin B9 (Folate) and Vitamin B12 (Cobalamin). He said just 200 grams of Riz Bijou Fortifie already covers 15% of the aforementioned nutrients and vitamins needs in the body.
Ace nutritionist cum dietician presenting the benefits of consuming Riz Bijou Fortifie
Certification procedure
Rice is a popular staple food in Cameroon, with consumption increasing steadily over the past years, growing from 19.3 kilograms to 37kilograms per capita in less than 2 decades (2003-2017).
Agbornyenty assured that the product underwent series of procedures before it was declared fit for the Cameroonian consumers. He said the product was first introduced to the Standards and Quality Agency, ANOR before their team was sent to the Ministry of Public health.
Harping further on the issue of certification, , Vice President and CEO of Olam Rice Cameroon said each bag of Riz Bijou Fortifié will have an official certification number from the ministry of Public Health to show that it has been tested and deemed fit for the consumption.
Fortification procedure
Agbornyenty revealed that the method used in fortification is a global standard which has been recommended by the World Food Programme and takes into consideration the cost effectiveness, health concerns.
Rice fortification, he said, is based on the fast-growing concept of using healthy food to safely and effectively prevent vitamin and mineral deficiencies and treat chronic diseases among children and adults.
The concept of fortified rice emerges out of the scientific datum that vitamins and minerals are essential for growth and metabolism and is particularly essential in developing countries and Africa since malnutrition and micronutrient deficiencies are still a major problem in many parts of the continent.
Fortified rice not new in other countries
Olam’s Marketing Manager further disclosed that though the brand is new in Cameroon, fortified rice has been in other countries and there is absolutely no need to fear about side effects or dangers of consuming it.
“Cameroon are probably the first in Central African Sub-region. Rice fortification is already popular in many countries around the world…in the US, whatever rice you consume is fortified with micronutrients. In Africa, Senegal, Ivory Coast and a couple other countries have done that already,” Agbornyenty disclosed, adding that Olam Cameroon was the first to introduce fortified rice in Ghana last year.
He said globally, rice fortification is mandatory in six countries, namely USA, Costa Rica, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Panama and Nicaragua, where it has shown evidence of success in reducing the effects of malnutrition and hidden hunger. Also, Brazil, Colombia, Peru, Bangladesh and Myanmar have also introduced fortified rice with positive results.
Africa has the largest per capita rice consumption outside Asia, making rice a growing key staple food in 19 countries across the continent, especially in west and central Africa where the prevalence and impact of micronutrient deficiencies are significant. Mali, Senegal and Ghana are amongst the first countries in the region to test or introduce fortified rice in their food options. Olam played a major part by successfully introducing Ghana’s first ever fortified in 2020.
About Olam International Limited
Olam International is a leading agri-business operating across the value chain in 66 countries, supplying various products across 18 platforms to over 22,900 customers worldwide. In Cameroon, Olam has steadily grown into an influential player in the agribusiness and food sectors with expanding investments in Cocoa, Grains and Rice across all 10 regions of the country during the last 25 years. Olam remains one of the top distributors of the widest range of very distinctive rice brands covering all pocket sizes in Cameroon.
In Cocoa, Olam source and processed cocoa beans and have remained key government partner in all efforts aimed at raising the value of Cameroonian cocoa in the international market. In Grains, Olam’s team manages Cameroon’s most ultra-modern wheat milling plant producing a range of top-quality flour brands serving bakeries and homes nationwide.
Through our purpose to ‘Re-imagine Global Agriculture and Food Systems’, Olam aims to address the many challenges involved in meeting the needs of a growing global population, while achieving positive impacts for farming communities, our planet and all our stakeholders.
From direct sourcing and processing presence in most major producing countries, Olam has built a global leadership position in many of its businesses. Headquartered in Singapore and listed on the SGX-ST on February 11, 2005, Olam currently ranks among the top 50 largest listed companies in Singapore in terms of market capitalisation. In 2016 Fortune recognised Olam at #23 in its ‘Change the World’ list.
By Doh Bertrand Nua
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