U.S. Soy and Dairy Groups Reach African Businesses
that Want to Sell Products Made with U.S. High-Protein

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 28, 2005

For more information, contact:
Karen Edwards, World Initiative for Soy in Human Health 703-281-7600

The World Initiative for Soy in Human Health (WISHH) and the U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC) have concluded seminars for African business leaders to explore how soy can help them market healthy foods with much-need protein and other nutrients. With support from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Global Based Initiative, WISHH and USDEC hosted a seminar on November 10 in Kenya and another in Uganda on November 14. The two seminars attracted a total of 125 business representatives as well as health and nutrition leaders that see great potential for the high-quality protein found in U.S. soy and dairy products to improve health as well as create new business opportunities.

“African consumers, like many people around the world, are looking for healthier foods, and African businesses are seeking to offer new products to meet that demand,” said WISHH Program Director Jim Hershey. “Working together with the dairy industry makes sense because our industries offer high-quality proteins that can help meet the growing trend in Africa for sales of high-protein foods.”

“CHS was pleased to participate in this program that proved the demand for U.S. soy protein products for use in the growing African marketplace,” said Pam Schubbe, soyflour sales and product manager national & international for CHS Oilseed Processing. “U.S. soy flour will work well for them as they seek to offer healthier foods that help them provide the protein that is so needed in local diets.”

The Archer Daniels Midland Company, which exports a variety of soy proteins to Kenya, also attended the conference. USDA sent representatives to speak along with WISHH and dairy representatives. Presentations at the seminars covered topics such as marketing and market trends, health awareness among consumers as well as introductions and samplings of products, such as textured soy protein and soy flour.

In a region where the primary cash crops are cotton, tea, coffee and tobacco, high-protein products are widely needed to increase the nutrition of locally-available food products.
Kenya is a trade hub that allows for the presentations there to reach business leaders from other East African nations. There are more than 1,200 businesses in Kenya’s food and beverage industry, and agricultural processing is the largest manufacturing sector in the nation. Likewise, Ugandan businesses are interested in expanding their product lines with more nutritious products.

A number of food companies are developing products that they can sell both into the private-sector food markets and for public sector distribution to refugee camps, victims of drought and natural disasters and other public feeding programs. There is not enough protein produced locally to satisfy these markets.

The rising prevalence of HIV/AIDS is also increasing the importance of offering high-quality protein foods because people with HIV/AIDs may need 50-100 percent more protein than people whose immune systems are not compromised.. In Sub-Saharan Africa, 25.4 million people now live with HIV and AIDS.

About WISHH
State soybean grower organizations launched the WISHH Program in 2000. WISHH is headquartered at the American Soybean Association in St. Louis, and it creates sustainable solutions for the protein demands of people in developing countries through the introduction and use of U.S. soy products. WISHH has worked in 23 countries, ranging from Africa to Asia to Latin America, to improve diets as well as encourage growth of food industries. For more information about WISHH, please visit www.wishh.org.