Tulimara African Baobab Product Producer

Tulimara are a Zimbabwean company working to sustainably commercialise indigenous natural resources.

The sustainable commercialisation of indigenous natural resources provides alternative income generating opportunities for rural producers and encourages them to protect their natural resources because they are able to make money from them.

Bravo Tulimara

Baobab Botanicals Rolls Out New Product Line

Baobab Botanicals a new neutracutical company has just rooled out a product line featureing Baobab. The new company is committed to Fair Trade Practises and is looking forward to rapid expansion within the U.S.

Malcolm Riley - Gourmet Foods Entrepreneur

To see your product flying off the shelves at Selfridges Food Hall is a dream-come-true for any gourmet food maker. Malcolm Riley has achieved it with his very first product, thanks to a little-known African superfruit and a touch of serendipity.

In 2007, Riley – the son of an English father and a half-African, half-Indian mother - visited his family in his native Zambia. With plans in place to start his own food business, he was looking out for ideas for new and unusual products. By chance, he met the Mthanjara Women’s Co-operative, a group of women working to combat hunger and support AIDS orphans in the east of the country. As well as growing crops such as maize and ground nuts, the women also made food from wild fruits. One of their favourites was a traditional jam made from the highly nutritious fruit of the baobab, a tree that grows in vast numbers across Southern Africa.

‘As soon as I tasted it, I knew I had my first product,’ says Riley. ‘This jam was sensational and quite different to anything on the market in Europe. It had a creamy smooth texture like honey and tasted of apricots, lemon and lime. I was hooked.’

Armed with the recipe, Riley returned to Devon and set to work, naming his company Yozuna, which means “It’s sweet!” in the local Zambian language. He took a sample from his first batch of jam to Selfridges and their savvy buyers immediately signed it up in an exclusive launch deal. It has been so successful that Riley has added three new products to his line-up: baobab spreads made with chocolate and banana, and baobab lemonade, all of which will carry the FAIRTRADE mark.

The great thing about baobab, according to Riley, is that it’s not only delicious and nutritious – containing high levels of Vitamin C, calcium and iron - but it also helps to improve the lives of rural people in Southern Africa.

‘In remote areas, families often survive on less than $100 a year. They can’t afford seeds and tools for farming, but to harvest baobab costs them nothing and earns vital income for food, healthcare and education. The more baobab we eat in the UK and Europe, the more people in Africa stand to benefit,’ says Riley.

Riley works closely with PhytoTrade Africa – the organization representing the natural products industry in Southern Africa - to ensure that the baobab in his products comes from ethical and sustainable sources. He has also committed to return a portion of his profits to the Mthanjara Women’s Cooperative to support their extraordinary work.

‘After all, it was their recipe that launched my business,’ he says.

Riley says he also owes a debt of gratitude to the nutritionist and food writer Wendy E. Cook - former wife of comedian Peter Cook - whom he met while working as manager at his local farm shop in Devon. Riley had moved down from London to start a new life with his fiancée Sophie and explore his growing passion for natural and organic food. He and Cook struck up a rapport through their shared interest in food and Riley plucked up the courage to show her some recipes he had been developing. Cook was so impressed that she asked to use one in her forthcoming biodynamic cookbook.

‘It was a massive confidence boost for me and convinced me my future really was in food,’ says Riley. ‘Ultimately it led to me setting up Yozuna, so I have a lot to thank both Wendy and the women of Mthanjara for!’

Baobab Leave Soup Kuka Soup

Kuka Soup is a traditional Nigerian recipe for a classic fish stew in a chilli and tomato sauce that's thickened with okra and baobab leaves.

The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic Nigerian version of: Kuka Soup.
Baobab leaves are a staple of certain West African cuisines. They're often used, dried, as a thickener in the same way that dried sassafras leaves (filé powder) is used in Cajun cookery. Indeed, in a pinch you could substitute 4 tbsp filé powder for the kuka leaves in the recipe below.

Ingredients
225g dried kuka (baobab) leaves
225g dried, ground, okra
1 fresh chilli
4 fresh tomatoes
1 small onion, sliced
500g dry or fresh fish
6 tbsp palm oil
1l stock or water
salt to taste

Kuka Soup Preparation:
Method:
Wash and clean a fish (if it's fresh season with salt and black pepper). Grind the tomatoes, onion and chilli to a paste in a pestle and mortar or a a food processor. Pour the stock into a large pot and add the tomato paste and the palm oil. Bring to the boil, reduce to a simmer, cut the fish into steaks some 3cm thick, add these and cook for 15 minutes. Add the okra and baobab leaves then cook for a further 10 minutes. Season to taste and serve hot on a bed of rice or with fufu.

Baobab Bonsai

Baobab Bonsai

Baobab bonsai are one of the world's most fascinating bonsai. Baobab trees grow in Africa, and are one of the world's most unusual looking trees. There are many legends revolving around the Baobab tree, among one of the most common being that the tree was cast down from heaven and grew upside down, as the canopy branches of the tree often look like roots. As the tree loses its leaves in the winter season, this characteristic is predominate during this time.

In nature, the Baobab is at risk of going extinct due to predation from animals like elephants. Domestically, many people try to grow at least one Baobab bonsai in their collection due to their odd appearance.

If you are intending on keeping a Baobab bonsai, there are several things that you will need to remember. First, these trees are extremely sensitive to temperature. They will not thrive in places that get cold. Many growers have witnessed a tree die within several days due to quick exposure to cold temperatures. If you live somewhere cold, it is vital that you store the Baobab bonsai somewhere the plant can remain warm throughout the winter season. In addition, the Baobab bonsai should receive no water at all during the winter, as watering them in winter will cause root rot and your plant will die.

The most challenging aspect of caring for a Baobab bonsai, aside from taking care to water properly, is to acknowledge that these trees take a very long time to grow. You will not get instant results from this type of bonsai tree. You will need to take your time and carefully plan your bonsai design, and realize that these trees may take well over ten years before you will see results. However, once designed, they make an excellent part of any bonsai collection. As they are fairly easy to care for as long as you pay attention to the plant's dormancy period, growers of any level can enjoy this tree.

If you are interested in growing Baobab bonsai, there are several things that you can do to acquire one. First, you can attempt to grow your own from a seed. Seeds can be purchased online or from specialty vendors. Seedlings and already designed bonsai can also be purchased, although shipping this type of plant can be dangerous if you are shipping during the dormancy period or to a place that has lower temperatures.

The Ancient African Upside-Down Tree

The Baobab tree of Africa is known as the upside-down tree; an ancient tree of life, the baobab tree is capable of storing water vital for the survival of local nomads.

One of Africa's ancient trees, the baobab (Adansonia digitata) is synonymous with the African plains; prevalent throughout Africa, Adansonia digitata can also be found on the island of Madagascar, where other species of the baobab tree grow. One species of the baobab tree, Adansonia gregorii, can only be found in northern Australia.

Characteristics of the African Baobab Tree
Adansonia digitata is most well known for its wide trunk, in which it can store vital life-saving water; the African baobab tree is deciduous and some are said to be thousands of years old. It produces large, aromatic flowers up to 7 inches wide; the baobab tree of Africa also produces fruit, which hangs from the branches of the tree. The fruit of the African baobab tree is particularly appealing to baboons, hence its nickname monkey-bread tree.

How the Baobab Tree Stores Water
The African baobab tree is known as the tree of life; it is capable of storing life-saving water during the drought season which is vital to local nomadic people who may not have any other means of obtaining water. Large baobab trees are said to contain more than 30,000 gallons of water; to access this water, the Kalahari bushmen use hollow pieces of grass (much like a straw) to suck the water out.

The Use of the Baobab Tree for Food
The African baobab tree is a vital nutrition source for many local tribes; the fruit of the baobab tree contains both pulp and seeds which are eaten. The pulp can also be mixed with water and made into a drink; the seeds of the baobab tree can be eaten alone or mixed with millet. The seeds can also be traded for the extraction of the oil or eaten in a paste; seedlings and young leaves are eaten like asparagus or are used in salads.

Living in the Trunk of a Baobab Tree
The hollow trunk of the baobab tree (either aged naturally or through human intervention) is a place where native people have stored grain, water or livestock. The size of some baobab trees is so great that natives have used the hollow of the baobab tree trunk in which to live.


The Baobab Tree for Medicine
The African baobab tree has many medicinal uses; the baobab tree is high in vitamin C and calcium and therefore the leaves and fruit are eaten to protect against illness. The bark of the African baobab tree is used to treat fever; its medicinal use was considered to be of such value that Europeans used the bark in place of cinchona bark (from where quinine was obtained) to protect against malaria.

The Baobab Tree for Clothes and Instruments
The inner workings of the African baobab tree provide a fiber which indigenous people have used to make cloth, rope, nets, musical instrument strings and waterproof hats. The bark of the baobab tree has to be removed to obtain the fiber; the baobab tree can regenerate the loss of bark if it is cut away.

Baobab: The Tree of Life
The African baobab tree earns its reputation as the tree of life for its many uses; it is a huge water storage container, a food source, has many medicinal properties, provides the source for cloth and other vital items and can even be used as a home. The ancient baobab tree has ensured the survival of a lot of indigenous people of Africa.

Baoab Cosmetic & Nutrional

Baobab Seed Oil Extra Pure
CO2 - Supercritical Extraction

For Cosmetics & Nutritional Formulations

LOWER CHOLESTEROL
HIGH OMEGA 3, 6, 9

STEROLS & TOCOPHEROLS

Enriched products
Bath Oils, Lotions, Creams, Massage Products

Compressed CO2 gas has the density of a liquid, but is able to penetrate deeply into the baobab seed and dissolve the lipophilic constituents. The pressure is carefully released, the gas just harmlessly dissipating into the atmosphere, and what is left behind is the pure, concentrated extract. No pollution, no heat stress or damage, and no solvent residue. The extract is a broad, virtually complete representation of the plant's lipophilic constituents.

A new neutracutical product line with Baobab oil

OCEAN Exfoliating Body Scrub

A new neutracutical product line just launched
Rich formulas that are gentle on the hair, scalp and body.
Beautiful aromas derived from pure essential oil blends.

Y-Y's newly reformulated products are free of sulfates, parabens,
lanolin and mineral oil, artificial fragrance and petrochemicals.

Adansonia digitata seeds

Grows to 50-70ft in its natural state, but can also be grown as the perfect house plant. Thick, stubby branches spring from the top of enlarged swollen trunk which stores water. A conversation piece.

Sowing Instructions
Sowing time: any time of year.
Sowing depth: 1/16 Inch (1.5mm)

Sow in trays, pots, etc of good seed sowing mix in a propagator or warm place to maintain an optimum temperature of 75-80F (25-27C). Soak the seeds in fairly hot water for 2 hours. If the seeds are large they can first be lightly filed at one point on the seed before soaking.

Growing Instructions
Transplant seedlings when large enough to handle into 7.5cm (3in) pots. Pot on as required into 13cm (5in) and finally 20cm (8in) pots.

Aftercare Instructions
Grow in good light, don't over-water and provide a minimum winter temperature of 10-13C (50-55F).

1 packet (5 seeds) @ $6.25

Catalog Code: 2587

Bijilo two bedroom with Pool

Beautiful fully furnished 2 bedroom compound with pool.
65,000GBP
safemessage@mail.com

Kololi Four bedroom en-suite villa with tropical garden

Four bedroom en-suite villa with tropical garden

Exceptional four bedroom villa in Kololi with magnificent tropical garden. This beautiful custom designed home sits on a 16x29 plot with mains water and electricity.

The ground floor features 2 large bedrooms both en-suite, an L shaped living and dinning area, storeroom, and a Paula Rosa designer kitchen.

The first floor is accessed by a wrought iron staircase leading to an open plan messerine with a 2nd living and library.

The master bedroom and the fourth bedroom both en-suite are located off the landing, there is also a guest W.C. and a linen closet.

The messerine leads to a large sun terrace shaded by bougainvillea.

The garden features a large bantaba with night light ideal for dining and entertaining. There is a veranda as well as a breakfast area.

The lush tropical garden has avocado,papaya, grapefruit, orange and banana with plenty of space to add a swimming pool.

The property also has staff quarters, reserve water tank and generator room.

A truly unique and exceptional residence priced to move fast.
house,generator room,reserve water shed,Gazebo,garage and lawn area.

£170,000

GE Coordinates N 13 26 672 W 016 42 615
For details safemessage@mail.com

Senegambia Four bedroom villa with swimming pool

This huge villa with swimming pool stands on a 52x27x26x7 plot with expansive grounds.

The ground floor features living, dinning, reception,kitchen,1 en-suite bedroom and a large terrace overlooking the swimming pool.

The elegant iron staircase leads to a landing, en-suite bedroom with balcony, master bedroom with balcony,storeroom and toilette.

The turret features the 4th en-suite bedroom with great views

The grounds features an independent 1bedroom staff accommodation with shower,storeroom,pool house,generator room,reserve water shed,Gazebo,garage and lawn area.

A truly magnificent compound in the heart of Senegambia with A/C and fans.
£250,000

GE Coordinates N 13 26 530 W 016 42 862
For details safemessage@mail.com

New Baobab Products Hit Market

We wanted to produce a jam which was healthy, delicious and fairly traded.
A trip to Africa later, we had the ingredient and the recipe for our own Fairtrade approved African Baobab Jam. So what does this Jam taste like??? Well you have to think Apricot, perhaps a touch of Lime & Lemon with an aftertone of Orange and a lovely smooth texture of honey… But don’t just take our word for it: you need to give it a go and experience the amazing taste of the tree of life for yourself!

Functional Food Market Worth €175 billion by 2012

Research carried out by Euromonitor indicates that the global functional foods market will be worth about €175 billion by 2012 – a 25% jump over 2007 levels of €120bn, according to Euro monitor International data.

In a global health and wellness market, which Euro monitor puts at €450bn, functional foods are the fastest growing sector and second only in value to naturally healthy foods (€155bn), both now and in 2012.

By 2012, better-for-you foods (€140bn) will be the third highest selling category, followed by vitamins and food supplements (€60bn); organic (€24bn); botanicals (€22bn); slimming products (€8bn); food intolerance products (€6bn) and sports nutrition products (€2.4bn).