Sierra Leone: Bennimix all natural baby food launches ‘Happy Baby, Healthy Mommy’

The Bennimx Food Company hosted mothers, babies and some fathers at its first ‘Healthy Baby, Happy Mommy’ summit. Bennimix is the only all-natural baby food brand that is made in Sierra Leone. It has been taking the guess work out of  infant nutrition for families for over  3 decades.

The Bennimix Healthy Baby Healthy Mommy summit is an opportunity for working moms to meet and share their challenges, tips, and experiences as mothers in Sierra Leone. The discussions covered nutrition, work stress management, as well as how to ensure that mothers and their babies stay healthy, and happy.

“Alot of us believe that imported food products are better for our babies but that is not the case,” said Vickie Remoe, Managing Director, Vickie Remoe & Company. Ms. Remoe a mother of one, runs the marketing agency that organized the Bennimix Healthy Baby, Happy Mommy Summit. 

“The reality is that all the packed baby foods that are imported into Sierra Leone have additives, preservatives.. Bennimix is the only baby food brand that is all natural and meets your growing infant’s nutritional needs”.

Bennimix has four ingredients;  sesame seeds, pigeon peas, rice and as little as just 5% sugar. All of these ingredients are farmed, and cultivated in Sierra Leone. Food Nutritionist Dr. Phillip Kanu said he and his wife have raised 4 daughters on Bennimix. In 2007 Dr. Kanu who is a consultant with the FAO published a scientific paper on that physiochemical properties of Bennimix in the American Journal of Food Technology.

“My research proved that Bennimix was a superior product as compared to the others because it has the right nutrients to make a child grow healthy,” said Dr. Kanu.

“Bennimix is an excellent nutritional source as it provides a good balance of protein, fat, carbohydrate and minerals all of which put together make a baby healthy and strong. Smart moms know to choose natural food products for their babies and themselves.”

Smart mom-to-be Rebecca Hudi-Turay who is 7 months pregnant said that she came to the event to learn more about Sierra Leone’s only indigenous baby food brand.  She said that her mother  fed her Bennimix as an infant and she intends to make it a family tradition.  

“Today I learned that unlike the foods from overseas that we strive to buy with all their additives, preservatives, and chemicals, Bennimix instead is all natural,” she said.

“When my baby turns 6 months, I am only going to feed my baby Bennimix. I think I’m going to have to be an unofficial Bennimix brand ambassador because it really is that good.”

Speaking at the summit Dr. Zed Bahsoon, Managing Director of Marz Chemicals (The Bennimix Baby Food Company) explained that for the two decades that he has been at the helm of Bennimix, the company has made the health of infants and new moms a priority. He insists that mothers should commit to breastfeeding their newborns even after they start complementary feeding at 6 months.

“This is the message that we take to maternity wards, day care centers, and mothers across Sierra Leone,” said Dr. Bahsoon.

“The smart thing for moms to do is to breastfeed exclusively for 6 months, and when they are ready to introduce their babies to solids, they should choose all natural foods like Bennimix.”

The Bennimix ‘Healthy Baby, Happy Mommy” summit will take its message to mothers across Sierra Leone. The summit was made possible by the support of Sierra Leone Opportunities for Business Action’s (SOBA) private sector development programme.