Promoting Nigerian Culinary

Charles Ajunwa

Journalists and social media influencers recently were taken on a guided tour of Nestle Nigeria Plc, Agbara Factory, where they observed first-hand, how Maggi culinary is produced in compliance with international best practices, and regulations put in place by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON). 

The team on arrival, was received by the Factory Manager, Mr. Talla Fall, who described the factory as the largest in Africa, producing over 200,000 tonnes of Maggi annually.  Fall said Nestle Nigeria Plc always ensure safety of staff and consumers of their products, noting that “People are our biggest assets, we don’t joke with it.” 

“Maggi is famous not just because of colour, but because of quality. People are buying it because they trust us. And why they trust us is the quality of our product. We used to say that the ‘consumers can close eyes because we will open our eyes to make sure that we give them the right product’,” he added. 

Category Development Manager, Maggi, Ifeoluwa Seyi-Obembe, said “consumers are more concerned more than ever before about their health and wellness. They want to know  whether they’re making the right choices when it comes to food. They want to be sure that whatever ingredients they’re using to make their meals is actually of good quality. 

“They want to understand how it’s made, to ensure that they’re also taking the right meals and also ensuring that their families eat heathy. So this is why today, the factory visits is not just a factory visit. It’s an immersive experience, really to show you what is behind the brand Maggi. They don’t know what’s behind the scenes. And you have an opportunity today to see what’s behind the scenes.

“To also see the people, the processes, and all that we do to ensure that whatever is getting to the hands of the consumers is of the utmost quality and also ensuring that we have transparency, which is very key for us. We show you why we do what we do and also how we do it in real time,” she said. 

According to her, every meal begins with people, “So it’s really about the people, the people behind the scenes. You’ll also have to agree that food is more than just what we eat. It’s how we connect with our families, our friends, and also how we pass culture on from one generation to another.  When it comes to Maggi, the Maggi story doesn’t begin with the cube. It actually begins with the people behind everything. 

“For us as a brand, our major purpose is really to help people to cook fresh food that they love and believe in every single day. For us, we want to ensure that we are meeting the functional and emotional needs of our consumers. That talks about how we enable the consumers to cook with fresh ingredients, and also ensuring that when they are done cooking, they have a deep satisfaction that they made the right meal. 

“We pride ourselves as a resourceful ally in your quest for everyday food goodness.  You see, everyone wants to make delicious meal. You don’t enter the kitchen to make a meal that is not sweet. Every consumer today, they have one simple goal, to ensure that whatever meal they make is of good taste and not only tasty but also affordable, convenient, and also very balanced. 

And this is where Maggi comes in. Maggi has been part of every Nigerian meal for over 60 years. Maggi was created in Germany in 1886 by Julius Maggi. 

“We have a wide range of products. Our core product is Maggi Star, which contributes over 95 per cent to 97 per cent of the money. Maggi Star is an all-purpose seasoning made from fermented soya beans and perfect for many Nigerian traditional dishes in delivering pleasant aroma and great. Maggi Star is made from fermented soya, and it’s the only seasoning that is made from fermented soya. Soya, as you know, has a lot of health benefits.

“The process, we call it the EHP process. This is a process that we carry out to ensure that we have the right soya taste and the right aroma for the meals. And also, the cost of the fermentation also helps to reduce the probiotics, which is very important for blood health. Some people even buy probiotics supplements. That’s to show you the benefits. So, you are certain that whatever it is you’re putting in your meal is not just an ordinary seasoning, but it has a lot of health benefits. Also, it has iron and also iodine. We also have another variant called the Maggi Chicken, which is made from mixed spices and chicken flavour. It’s the perfect seasoning to be used during preparation of chicken-based dishes, grills and marinades for taste, colour and aroma.

“We also have the Shrimp, which is a unique blend of natural shrimp powder and mixed spices. It’s the best seasoning for seafood dishes/grills and provides traditional taste to fish-based soups this giving it that distinct shrimp flavour.

“We also have Mixpy, which is a powder seasoning made from natural spices and herbs for too noted flavour and taste. It’s the perfect seasoning for regular dishes and used as marinates for protein and grills. There’s also Signature Jollof, helps simplify cooking, saves time, money, effort natural ingredients- bay leaf, thyme and tomato that gives amazing taste and aroma to your favourite Jollof and other meals. And there’s Chicken Powder which is the perfect seasoning to be used during preparation of chicken-based dishes, grills and marinades for an unforgettable flavour, taste and colour. It helps simplify cooking, saves time and effort.”