Type: Limited Liability Company
Year of Founding: 2013
Number of Employees: 11 full-time and over 100 temporary employees; mainly women
CEO: Adama Mbaye

Vision: Support people to have confidence in their own abilities, skills and abilities and to acquire new ones so that they can put them to use in the company and, more broadly, in their community.

Business Model

The Senegalese agri-food industry is one of the largest in Africa. Over the past decade, many small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have been created to process African agricultural products and sell them on national and international markets. At the same time, the demand for organic products is growing.
BAONANE was created in 2013 to meet this demand while preserving the arable land and the environment. The company contributes to the development of the agricultural and agri-food sector by creating jobs in rural areas, particularly for youth and women. BAONANE aims to popularise organic farming to achieve sustainable management of natural resources, and so provides training for its producers in organic production techniques.

BAONANE’s products are mainly exported to the European, American and Asian markets, with some products also exported to the African continent. The company describes itself as a “bridge” between the African continent and the global market.

Strong Relationships with Smallholders

BAONANE sources its raw materials from Senegalese producers. The company supports fair, social and sustainable collaboration with rural communities and builds long-term partnerships with its farmers, suppliers and customers.

Products and Markets

BAONANE’s organic products meet international requirements, and are available in the quantities requested.

The company processes cereal products from local crops such as mil. It also collects hibiscus flowers which are sold whole or processed into oil. BAONANE also has a wide range of processed products from the baobab tree fruit, including:
• baobab fruit pulp
• baobab powder
• baobab oil and cake
• baobab leaves
• red baobab funicles (structural fibres)
• baobab seeds.

These baobab products are gluten- and lactose-free and can be used to prepare drinks, smoothies, dairy products, jams and pastries, as well as in the cosmetic and (phyto-)pharmaceutical industries.

In addition, BAONANE markets feed for poultry (meat and egg-laying) and livestock.

BAONANE collects natural raw materials and processes them into organic products. The company is also involved in vocational training, women’s empowerment and education.

BAONANE’s products are certified kosher, fair trade (Fair For Life and Fair Trade), as well as organic according to standards in the European Union, the United States (National Organic Program certification, NOP) and Canada (Organic Products Regulation, OPR).

Innovations: Milestones and Expansion Plans

In addition to its processing plant, BAONANE has its own packaging facility which enables it to meet its customers’ specific demands. At the end of 2021, the company signed a partnership with FoodSen, a company that supports food companies in training, certification and the development of new markets. At the beginning of 2022, BAONANE acquired a flour mill to start producing animal and poultry feed.

In the short term, BAONANE plans to produce and market animal feed (sheep, cattle, goats) and poultry feed (meat and egg-layers). In the medium term, the company aims to diversify its activities by also processing aromatic plants for the food and cosmetics sectors.

Success Factors and Lessons Learned

BAONANE contributes to improving rural communities’ living conditions by developing economic activities, creating jobs, especially for youth and women, and offering fair prices and decent working conditions.

The company also offers training and further education opportunities. It trains its producers in sustainable agriculture and modern quality control. This allows the producers to combine their traditional know-how with high quality standards, industrial innovation and technology to promote their work internationally.

Additional Resources

• Business Profile Baonane (English)
• Fiche d'Enterprise Baonane (Français)