Market Introduction of Low Cost Nutritional Foods in Developing Countries

An A.I.D. project to alleviate nutrition problems among at-risk populations by introducing inexpensive, enriched foods is the subject of this report. The first section of Volume I is devoted to the major activities under the project, which included efforts to market: soy-fortified bread in Korea (1976-1979) and weaning foods in Sri Lanka (1977-1985), Guyana (1978-1983), Tanzania (1979-1981), and Sudan (1988-1989). For each activity, the purpose, procedure, results, and implications are summarized. The second section covers other field studies to assess the market potential or consumer market issues related to selected nutrition intervention projects. These include: enriched bread in El Salvador (1976-1977), infant and children's foods in Jamaica (1977-1978), and fortified wheat flour in Haiti (1980). Other research and consultation activities are reported more briefly in the third section. The report concludes that the two key market tests undertaken by the project (weaning food in Sri Lanka and Guyana) indicate that a commercial market can be established for low-cost, centrally processed fortified food products. Furthermore, this market includes at-risk populations in lower-income households and weaning age infants.