Many children in Côte d’Ivoire are consuming an inadequate diet that lacks the important vitamins and minerals needed for healthy growth. Today, over thirty percent of Ivorian children under the age of five are considered stunted and may never obtain the height lost in their early years, or gain the corresponding body weight.
To help address the malnutrition issues facing young infants and children, the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) sought to build a commercial business model in Côte d’Ivoire by building a partnership with a locally owned company, Protein Kissée-La (PKL), the first Ivorian company to manufacture infant cereal, and the international NGO Helen Keller International (HKI). This private-sector partnership focused on developing, manufacturing, and distributing low-cost sachets of a fortified, instant milk-based cereal, Nutribon, to the Ivorian population.
This case study describes the approach taken and its outcomes, and also highlights the key lessons learned, challenges, and opportunities moving forward.