Tag Archive for: Tanzania

Miller of the Month – Sifa Lucas Mkanda, Quality Analyst at Wilmar Tanzania Limited

Our Miller of the Month for July is Sifa Lucas Mkanda, a Quality Analyst at Wilmar Tanzania Limited. Sifa’s role has consistently evolved to meet the demands of technological advancements and changing consumer preferences within the milling industry. Wilmar Tanzania Limited demonstrates a strong commitment to public health and regulatory compliance through its dedication to food fortification, especially in addressing malnutrition in East Africa.

How long have you been in the milling business? How has your role changed?

With five years in the milling industry, my role has evolved significantly due to technology and consumer shifts. Initially focused on lab analysis, quality, manual fortification, and food safety, my responsibilities now include integrating automation and ensuring fortification compliance. This evolution demands continuous learning and adaptation to technological and regulatory changes. Data-driven decisions optimize operations and meet demands for healthier, sustainable products. My journey reflects significant technological advancements and a growing emphasis on sustainability, transforming my role and positioning our operations for the evolving global market.

Why did you decide to join Millers for Nutrition?

We joined Millers for Nutrition to align our operations with global food fortification best practices, enhance our product quality, and contribute meaningfully to public health. This membership provides us with free technical assistance, including tailored training, product testing support, and access to online tools and business advice. These resources have been instrumental in improving our fortification practices and reducing compliance risks.

Tell us about your commitment to food fortification and Quality Assurance?

Wilmar Tanzania Limited is deeply committed to food fortification as a strategic approach to combat malnutrition in East Africa. Our dedication aligns with national policies and global initiatives aimed at improving public health. In April 2025, Tanzania implemented the 2024 Food Fortification Regulations, we have proactively embraced these regulations, ensuring compliance with the new standards. Additionally, Quality assurance is central to our fortification strategy. We have installed automated dosing equipment and implemented robust quality control systems to ensure the precise addition of Vitamin A. These measures guarantee that our products meet the required nutritional standards and support public health objectives

Tell us about your new technology and how it impacts your business? 

We significantly improved our food fortification initiatives by adopting innovative technologies , positively impacting both business operations and public health. A key achievement is the installation of automated online dosing pumps. These pumps precisely add Vitamin A to oil, a process previously done manually into storage tanks, without increasing production costs.

What advice do you have for other millers that might want to implement/try?

Millers considering implementing food fortification, there are key recommendations that will lead them to successful practice; Invest in Capacity building and training: By understanding fortification methodology and its importance together with attending food fortification training programs offered by fortification stakeholders will enable them to acquire knowledge and skills to implement effective fortification practice.

New Boogaloo’s Breakthrough: Mastering Fortification and Expanding Markets

For New Boogaloo Limited of Tanzania, fortifying maize flour was initially a struggle. Despite having the right machinery and fortificants, the company faced challenges meeting rigorous quality benchmarks the Tanzania Bureau of Standards set.

“It was hectic and frustrating,” says Production Manager Secilia Katisha. “We had all the components, but the challenges persisted.”

The turning point came when Secilia attended a sectorwide training organized by Millers for Nutrition that focused on helping millers fortify staple foods like maize flour, wheat flour and edible oil. From the training, New Boogaloo was connected to industry experts and received targeted technical assistance.  

“The assistance from Millers for Nutrition helped us a lot,” Secilia says. “We have a better understanding of the mixing process and since then, our products have successfully met all quality benchmarks.”  

The impact of the technical assistance, including approval from the Tanzania Bureau of Standards, allowed the company to access new markets in Dar es Salaam and Mwanza, reaching more customers with fortified maize flour. 

The company also realized significant savings. 

“We had spent a lot of money on sampling, recruiting and training technicians and testing,” Secilia says. “Now, we are not only saving money but also working in peace. The training saved us time, money and a lot of stress.”  

Beyond the financial benefits, employees gained a stronger sense of control over operations. “We are no longer worried about failing tests,” Secilia says. “If an issue arises, we know how to troubleshoot and solve it. Our employees are more confident, and production runs smoothly without interruptions.”  

Secilia’s advice to other millers is clear: “Don’t waste time complaining or guessing what went wrong. Reach out to Millers for Nutrition for support. If I had known earlier, I could have solved our challenges much sooner.”

Millers for Nutrition Senior Communications Specialist, Edward Ahonobadha during a session.

Stakeholders Unite to Develop Food Fortification Communication Campaign

In a pivotal move to combat widespread micronutrient deficiencies, Millers for Nutrition is partnering with key stakeholders in Kenya and Tanzania to roll out innovative food fortification campaigns. In Kenya, where the Ministry of Health and the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) lead the initiative, Millers for Nutrition recently attended a communications workshop that included government officials, nutrition experts, and industry leaders.

Similarly, in Tanzania, Millers for Nutrition and GAIN are working together to integrate communications professionals with technical experts, ensuring effective messaging to support national fortification strategies.

This collaborative approach underscores the critical role of stakeholder engagement in scaling food fortification efforts with millers playing a pivotal part in improving public health outcomes through the fortification of staple foods like maize flour, wheat flour, and edible oils.

Micronutrient deficiencies remain a significant public health challenge, affecting millions of people, limiting their potential for growth and development. Food fortification is an efficient and cost-effective solution that offers national populations access to a nutritious diet through staple foods already being consumed. By enhancing the quality of foods, millers play a direct role in improving health outcomes and supporting national development goals.

The workshop in Nairobi brought together a diverse range of government and fortification stakeholders to deliberate how best to roll out a national fortification campaign that would be effective in communicating the benefits of consuming adequately fortified foods. County health officials shared insights from local communities, while Ministry of Health representatives outlined how stakeholders can align efforts with national health priorities and policies. 

“Communications expertise is essential to translating complex technical information into clear, actionable messages,” said Dr. Brenda Obura, head of food safety at Kenya’s Ministry of Health. “When we get the messaging right, we can effectively drive behavior change and improve health outcomes. This is particularly true for food fortification, where public understanding and acceptance are crucial to success.”

Following the workshop is a process to test campaign content with diverse audiences. Millers for Nutrition will support the effort by reviewing communication materials and participating in campaign planning. 

February 2025 Miller of Month: Iddi Mvungi, Compliance Manager, Bakhresa Millers,  Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

Food vehicle: Wheat Flour, Maize Flour

February’s Miller of the Month Iddi Mvungi, Compliance Manager for Bakhresa Millers, talks about the company’s commitment to fortification and experience with Millers for Nutrition.

Can you talk about your commitment to food fortification?

At Bakhresa, our commitment to food fortification is rooted in the belief that enhancing the nutritional quality of staple foods like wheat flour can significantly improve public health. By incorporating essential nutrients into our flour, we aim to combat malnutrition and support healthier communities. Our focus on fortification not only aligns with regulatory standards but also reflects our dedication to providing Tanzanians with high-quality products that contribute to their well-being.

How has joining Millers for Nutrition impacted your business?

The technical assistance we receive from Millers for Nutrition has been transformative for our operations. Their expertise in flour fortification and industry best practices has enabled us to enhance the quality of our products, streamline our processes, and ensure compliance with nutritional standards. This support has not only strengthened our market position but also built consumer trust in our fortified offerings. By collaborating with Millers for Nutrition, we have improved our operational efficiency and reduced costs associated with fortification, allowing us to pass those savings on to our customers.

How do you inform consumers about the benefits of fortified flour?

Educating consumers about the advantages of fortified flour is a crucial part of our mission at Bakhresa. We recognize that many consumers may choose cheaper alternatives without understanding the nutritional benefits they forgo. To address this, we train our sales and marketing teams on the importance of consuming adequately fortified products. By partnering with organizations like Millers for Nutrition, we aim to amplify our messaging through targeted communication strategies that inform the public about how fortified flour can positively impact their health. Our goal is to empower consumers with knowledge so they can make informed choices that enhance their well-being.

What advice do you have for other millers?

My advice to fellow millers is to embrace food fortification as a vital component of your business strategy. Prioritizing the nutritional content of your products not only benefits public health but also differentiates your brand in a competitive market. Stay open to innovation and continuously seek out training and collaboration opportunities, such as those offered by Millers for Nutrition. By doing so, you can enhance your operational efficiency and ultimately contribute to a healthier population while ensuring the sustainability of your business.

Technical Assistance Success: Moshono Millers, Tanzania

Moshono Millers, a leading maize flour miller in Tanzania, sought help solving operational challenges. By partnering with Millers for Nutrition, the facility not only resolved critical production issues but also enhanced its market footprint and community role.


Through targeted technical support, Moshono Millers was able to replace the malfunctioning dosifier and work with SANKU to install a new dosifier with advanced vibration technology. The upgrade boosted production from two to 10 tonnes per day.

“Our operational turnaround and efficiency has significantly driven business growth, expanding our market share from 50% to over 70% of our output”, said Mary Mongela, Quality Control Manager. “With this enhanced production, we’ve secured high-value clients like the TBS and the Tanzanian military, tripling their monthly orders from between 50 – 100 to 200 bags. This underscores the crucial role of targeted technical investments in boosting our market competitiveness.”

Beyond business metrics, Moshono Millers has been involved with behavior change communication and advocacy at the community level educating community members on the value of consistently consuming fortified flour. This dual focus on business growth and social responsibility illustrates the broader impact of strategic operational improvements.

“I never thought that I would become a food fortification ambassador,” said Mongela. “When we are out for sales, community members often ask why fortification is important as there has been a lot of misinformation. As community members seek clarity, there’s a growing need for educational support. We look to Millers for Nutrition for training support to better equip our teams and address these vital questions.“

Moshono Millers’ journey underscores how strategic technical assistance can transform operational landscapes, drive substantial business growth and elevate community health standards. For industry leaders, this case study exemplifies the value of aligning business objectives with community needs, promoting a holistic approach to sustainable growth and leadership in fortified nutrition advocacy. “I encourage all millers to become members of Millers for Nutrition. The support and technical assistance we received were pivotal in overcoming our challenges,” said Mongela.

Millers for Nutrition adds India to effort

We are thrilled to announce  East Coast Fats and Oil Ltd,  in  Tanzania , recently joined Millers for Nutrition. This collaboration marks a significant step toward enhancing quality assurance in vitamin A fortification. 

Recently, East Coast Fats and Oils and Millers for Nutrition sampled the vitamin A premix for quality testing – a significant step in addressing fortification challenges. The data obtained from these tests will play a crucial role in refining the fortification processes, ensuring that products comply with both national and international nutrition standards. Millers for Nutrition is dedicated to supporting millers in their effort  to improve  nutrition for  Tanzanians. We invite all millers to join. Learn more at www.millersfornutrition.com

Food Fortification: The Unsung Hero of Global Nutrition – World Food Day 2024

In the fight against malnutrition, there is a humble, yet transformative solution that has quietly improved the health of billions around the world: food fortification. This simple intervention—adding essential vitamins and minerals to staple foods—has made a profound impact on global health, yet it often goes unnoticed. As we celebrate World Food Day 2024, it’s time to shine a spotlight on this unsung hero, whose benefits are more relevant today than ever before.

Food fortification isn’t just about nutrition—it’s about improving lives, economies, and the future of our world. It’s the reason iodine deficiency disorders have nearly disappeared, why devastating diseases like beriberi and pellagra are now rare, and why the rates of neural tube defects, a major cause of infant mortality, have plummeted. This simple, cost-effective solution has saved millions of lives and has quietly been a cornerstone of public health for decades. Yet, in global conversations on nutrition, it rarely takes center stage.

A Silent, Global Crisis

Right now, over 2 billion people—almost one in three—suffer from “hidden hunger.” This isn’t about empty stomachs; it’s about the lack of essential nutrients like iron, iodine, vitamin A, and folic acid, which are crucial for healthy development. The consequences are severe: stunted growth, weakened immune systems, cognitive impairments, and even death. For example, iron deficiency affects 1.6 billion people and contributes to 20% of maternal deaths worldwide. This is more than just a health issue—it’s an economic one too. According to the World Bank, micronutrient deficiencies cost developing countries up to $3 billion annually in lost productivity and healthcare expenses.

The Power of Fortification: Proven Results

Food fortification is one of the most powerful tools in the fight against hidden hunger. Take iodized salt, for example. Since its introduction in the 1990s, iodine fortification has reduced global iodine deficiency by over 80%, virtually eliminating iodine deficiency disorders like goiter. Nearly 90% of the world’s population now consumes iodized salt, saving millions of lives and improving cognitive development, especially in children.

Similarly, fortifying wheat and maize flour with folic acid has been a game-changer in the fight against birth defects. In countries with mandatory fortification, neural tube defects—such as spina bifida—have dropped by 46%. In the U.S. alone, fortification has prevented 1,300 neural tube defect-affected pregnancies every year since 1998. These numbers aren’t just statistics—they represent lives changed and futures transformed.

In Zambia, where flour is fortified with iron, anemia in women of reproductive age dropped by 10% in just a few years. The impact is clear: fortification works, it’s affordable, and it reaches people where they are—no drastic changes in behavior or diet needed.

A Changing World, A Growing Need

The world is changing fast, and with it, so are people’s diets. By 2050, 68% of the global population will live in urban areas, up from just 30% in 1950. This shift toward urban living is driving changes in food consumption, with more people relying on processed and packaged foods. While these foods are convenient, they often lack the essential nutrients found in traditional diets. In sub-Saharan Africa, urbanization is leading to increased consumption of refined grains, stripped of nutrients during processing. The result? A growing nutritional gap, one that food fortification is perfectly poised to fill.

The Global Nutrition Report of 2021 warns that in low- and middle-income countries, diets are becoming increasingly energy-dense but nutrient-poor, contributing to rising obesity and non-communicable diseases like diabetes. In these environments, fortifying staple foods with critical nutrients like iron, vitamin A, and folic acid can address the double burden of malnutrition—undernutrition and obesity—at the same time. Food fortification offers a pragmatic solution that can adapt to these changing realities without overhauling dietary habits.

A Pragmatic Approach: TechnoServe’s Millers for Nutrition

So, how do we make food fortification even more effective? By working with the people who make the food we eat. That’s exactly what TechnoServe’s Millers for Nutrition initiative does—engage with private-sector millers, the unsung heroes who ensure that the food reaching millions of people is not just filling, but nutritious.

Unlike traditional approaches that focus on government regulations, TechnoServe’s strategy is simple but powerful: we give millers the tools, technical assistance, and training they need to voluntarily fortify their products. Our approach is pragmatic, scalable, and sustainable. By 2023, TechnoServe had partnered with 500 millers across Africa and Asia, impacting the nutrition of over 200 million people.

The initiative is driven by competition and innovation. For instance, in Kenya and Nigeria, TechnoServe introduced the Kenya Millers Fortification Index (KMFI) and the Micronutrient Fortification Index (MFI). These indices encourage millers to compete on quality and compliance. The result? A 40% improvement in fortification levels among participating millers in Kenya, ensuring that fortified products meet nutritional standards and reach those who need them most.

Scaling Up: The Future of Fortification

The successes seen in Kenya, Nigeria, Zambia, and other countries are just the beginning. More than 85 countries now have mandatory fortification programs, but billions of people—especially in low- and middle-income countries—still do not have consistent access to fortified foods. Scaling up fortification efforts, expanding access, and ensuring that fortified foods reach the most vulnerable populations is the next frontier.

On this World Food Day 2024, the message is clear: food fortification is a simple, effective solution that remains essential in the fight against malnutrition. As the world’s populations shift towards urban living and dietary patterns evolve, fortification is becoming more critical than ever before. Through initiatives like Millers for Nutrition, TechnoServe is showing how public-private collaboration can drive real, lasting change.

Together, we have the tools to build a healthier, more resilient world—one fortified grain at a time. Food fortification may be the unsung hero of global nutrition, but its power to improve lives is undeniable. Let’s make sure it gets the recognition it deserves as a cornerstone of our global strategy to end malnutrition. After all, sometimes the simplest solutions are the most powerful.

Source: Rizwuan Yusifali, Program Director, Inspiring Good Nutrition Initiative Through Enterprise (IGNITE)

Welcoming East Coast Fats and Oil Ltd to the Millers for Nutrition

We are thrilled to announce  East Coast Fats and Oil Ltd,  in  Tanzania , recently joined Millers for Nutrition. This collaboration marks a significant step toward enhancing quality assurance in vitamin A fortification. 

Recently, East Coast Fats and Oils and Millers for Nutrition sampled the vitamin A premix for quality testing – a significant step in addressing fortification challenges. The data obtained from these tests will play a crucial role in refining the fortification processes, ensuring that products comply with both national and international nutrition standards. Millers for Nutrition is dedicated to supporting millers in their effort  to improve  nutrition for  Tanzanians. We invite all millers to join. Learn more at www.millersfornutrition.com

Prioritizing Quality Assurance in Tanzania’s Flour Fortification

Recently, Millers for Nutrition met with Bakhresa, Tanzania’s leading wheat flour miller to develop a comprehensive quality assurance training program. The initiative will set new standards for fortified flour production across the country.

Bakhresa is a market leader in Tanzania holding a large market share in Tanzania mainland and is a key partner in this quality-focused initiative. With three plants in Dar es Salaam producing a combined 3,250 metric tons per day.

“Quality assurance is the cornerstone of effective fortification,” says Ndili, the Millers for Nutrition Program Manager and Country Representative in Tanzania. “By prioritizing this aspect with Bakhresa, we’re laying the groundwork for a more robust and reliable fortification process throughout Tanzania.”

To address Bakhresa’s specific needs and challenges, Millers for Nutrition is developing a customized curriculum. This approach will ensure that the training is not only comprehensive but also directly applicable to Bakhresa’s day-to-day operations, maximizing its impact on the quality of their fortified flour production.

“This training program is a game-changer,” Ndili explains. “By emphasizing the importance of food quality at every step of the milling process, we’re ensuring that fortification becomes an integral part of production.”

“At Bakhresa, our commitment to excellence drives us forward, and partnering with Millers for Nutrition enhances our mission to elevate quality standards,” asserts Iddi Mvungi, Compliance Manager at Bakhresa.

The collaboration is an opportunity to create  a training module that can be expanded l to other millers across Tanzania.”The enthusiasm and commitment we’ve seen from Bakhresa in prioritizing quality assurance is inspiring,” Ndili remarks. “We look forward to working with other millers to address the challenges that they face in their fortification so that they are able to produce adequately fortified food products in Tanzania.  

“Our steadfast dedication to maintaining the highest quality standards is at the heart of everything we do at Bakhresa. This collaboration with Millers for Nutrition aims to further this,” – Iddi Mvungi.

“We are glad to be part of Millers for Nutrition, offering solutions such as iCheck Flour and iCheck Iron to support companies like Bakhresa in strengthening their fortification workflows,” says Dr. Santiago Andrade, Strategic Product Manager at Bioanalyt. “Our collaboration underscores the importance of working together to improve nutrition standards across Tanzania. With more than a decade of expertise in the fortification ecosystem, we aim to help millers enhance their quality assurance processes, ensuring that fortified products consistently meet the highest nutritional standards.”

Empowering Millers: The Millers for Nutrition Coalition

Empowering Millers: The Millers for Nutrition Coalition

Role of BioAnalyt

Tag Archive for: Tanzania

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