Baobab Foods, Bellevue, WA, North America’s exclusive importer of baobab from Afriplex in South Africa, plans to develop nutraceutical products featuring baobab. The company has already has developed its own line of Baobest brand products with nutrient-packed baobab, including Fruit Cubes, Fruit Powder and Drink Mixes. Expansion into nutraceuticals is expected to take place through development of private-label products in partnership with other companies.
 
Baobab Foods plans to begin importing depectinized baobab extract, offering higher concentrations of antioxidants than pure baobab Fruit Powder. Bioavailability tests demonstrate the nutrients in baobab extract are highly absorbable. The extract is ideal for beverages and drink-mix powders in which the formulator wants a completely clear product.
 
An organic, gluten-free, whole food, baobab delivers exceptional nutrition with:
·      Antioxidants – more than blueberries, pomegranate, Goji berries and acai; southern Africa’s unique environment boosts the fruit’s antioxidant capacity well beyond that of baobab harvested from other regions
·      Fiber – composed of 50% total fiber of which 75% is soluble fiber
·      Calcium – gram for gram, more than milk
·      Vitamin C – six times more than orange juice
·      Excellent source of electrolytes – high levels of magnesium and more potassium than bananas or coconut water
·      Naturally alkaline – baobab’s chemical makeup is alkaline, making it ideal for low-acid diets
 
The sustainable harvest of baobab benefits the women of southern Africa and their communities. Rural families can double their income by harvesting natural products such as baobab. This yearly income empowers women to invest in their communities, purchase healthcare services or fund education for children.
 
“It’s a natural that we’d begin to look at the nutraceutical market as a way to expand the availability and delivery systems for baobab,” said Stephan Broburg, general manager at Baobab Foods. “In addition to exploring development opportunities for Baobest branded products, we’re quite confident forward-thinking organizations in the space will also want to speak to us about incorporating baobab into their products.”