Global Courant
Swiss technology group Bühler’s SnackFix small-scale cereal bar production system (the ideal solution for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to add value to locally sourced cereals in Nigeria and help the country address food security issues, says Manuel Murrenhoff, Managing Director, Buhler Nigeria.
Consumption of on-the-go snacks in Nigeria is steadily increasing, providing opportunities for SMEs to enter the market. “In bars, fruit and sweet snacks alone, this market segment is expected to exceed half a million tons by 2025,” says Murrenhoff. The main driver is the fast-growing population, estimated at 223.8 million by 2023, a 2.41% increase from 2022, and expected to grow to 377 million by 2050.
“The economically active part of the Nigerian population is quite large and highly mobile, which encourages the consumption of snacks,” says Murrenhoff. Moreover, with half of the population living below the poverty line, it is more necessary than ever to encourage the consumption of the full range of locally grown grains to keep the prices of the final products under control.
“With the price of wheat expected to rise to record highs, it is impossible for Nigeria to feed its growing population by importing wheat and other products. On the one hand, there is a shortage of forex and on the other, prices are escalating globally. That is where innovation using local grains plays an important role in food security, especially as they can be successfully incorporated into ready-to-eat foods,” says Murrenhoff.
Iyore Amadasun, Sales and Channel Business Manager at Bühler Nigeria, says Bühler’s Snackfix, designed for food manufacturers looking to enter the on-the-go snack segment, promotes the processing of locally sourced grains for snacks while maintaining the highest food safety standards.
SnackFix is a multi-grain solution that enables SMEs to innovate across the spectrum of locally sourced grains in Nigeria. The technology provides an entry-level plug-and-play solution that is compact, cost-effective, and easy to deploy and use.
SnackFix includes a continuous mixer, a cooling tunnel and a cutting system all in one – everything needed for quality production. The combination allows SMEs to produce a wide variety of muesli bars with a volume of up to 130 kg per hour.
Customers benefit from Bühler’s experience in product development using a wide variety of locally sourced grains, including, for example, sesame seeds, cashews and peanuts. “We can help new market entrants find the best recipe to meet the demands of functional and indulgent consumers in this segment and then provide them with a tailored solution,” says Amadasun. In addition, Bühler has an innovation center and laboratory in Switzerland to assist with various formulations and product development.
“The ready-to-eat market is of strategic importance to Nigeria as it can adapt local grains for snack consumption, promote healthy eating habits while helping with food security,” says Amadasun.
With offices in Lagos and Kano, Bühler Nigeria is a leader in grain and food processing, providing solutions for grain drying and storage, flour milling, rice milling, cocoa and chocolate processing, wafers and milling biscuits, pasta and noodles, fodder and aqua feed. Buhler Nigeria also offers support in the form of solutions for ink and coating applications and flexible packaging systems.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Bühler Holding AG.
Contact Buhler Nigeria:
Manuel Murrenhoff
No. 2, Reverend Ogunbiyi Crescent,
at Oba Akinjobi Street, Ikeja GRA,
Lagos, Nigeria
Phone: +234 705 389 0504
E-mail address: (email protected)
Media contacts:
Burkhard Böndel, Head of Corporate Communications
Buhler AG, 9240 Uzwil, Switzerland
Telephone: +41 71 955 33 99
Mobile: +41 79 515 91 57
E-mail address: (email protected)
Dalen Jacomino Panto, Media Relations Manager
Buhler AG, 9240 Uzwil, Switzerland
Phone: +41 71 955 37 57
Mobile: +41 79 900 53 88
E-mail address: (email protected)
About Buhler:
Bühler is driven by his goal to create innovations for a better world, balancing the needs of economy, humanity and nature. As a relevant solution partner for the food and mobility industry, Bühler is committed to having solutions ready to multiply by 2025 that will reduce energy, waste and water in its customers’ value chains by 50%. Billions of people every day come into contact with Bühler technologies that meet their basic needs for food and mobility. Two billion people enjoy food produced on Bühler equipment every day; and one billion people travel in vehicles manufactured with parts produced with Bühler technology. Countless people wear glasses, use smartphones and read newspapers and magazines – all depending on Bühler process technologies and solutions. With this global relevance, Bühler is uniquely positioned to turn today’s global challenges into sustainable business. Bühler contributes to feeding the world safely and doing its part to protect the climate by producing solutions that make cars, buildings and machines more energy efficient.
Bühler invests up to 5% of annual turnover in research and development. In 2022, around 12,500 employees will generate sales of CHF 3.0 billion. As a Swiss family business, Bühler is active in 140 countries around the world and has a global network of 103 filling stations, 30 production sites and application and training centers in 24 countries. www.BuhlerGroup.com
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