Umoya Foods

Umoya Foods is the pilot venture of Scaled Impact and was designed to showcase the versatility of the prolifically grown Amaranth plant which is grown in South Africa by small scale farmers.

Industry
FMCG

Year
2017 - Current

Location
Johannesburg, South Africa

More about us:

Umoya Foods is a proudly South African health food brand currently dedicated to a superfood product range that celebrates the Amaranth plant and empowers the small scale farmers that grow it. Through extensive analysis we identified that Amaranth (or more commonly known as Morogo) was previously only being grown by small-scale farmers for self-sustenance and that its full industrial agricultural potential had not yet been realised. Umoya Foods is the realisation of that potential and proof that ancient food sources have a place in the modern market place.

Our Values:

High quality health food products:

We use as few ingredients as possible with intent behind each choice. No refined sugar, artificial additives or preservatives have been used.

Local sourcing:

Wherever we can, we work directly with local producers and small farmers to drive rural community incomes. Buying an Umoya product links you directly to the farmers who grow or gather the ingredients.

Developing small producers:

We work with small scale farmers to identify high value crops, assist in developing on-farm processing systems and guide the farmers to meet food safety requirements for commercial retail products. Umoya Foods is a proudly South African health food brand currently dedicated to a superfood product range that celebrates the Amaranth plant and empowers the small scale farmers that grow it. We are a venture of Scaled Impact, a not-for-profit that creates local and international products and markets to drive rural development.

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Amaranth.
An African Superfood.

Amaranth (also known as wild African Spinach or Morogo) is an ancient African crop used in ancient and modern civilisations as a staple food source. It is rich in micronutrients like manganese, vitamin A, vitamin K and iron. The hardy plant is highly drought resistant and can be grown in sub-optimal soil and weather conditions making it a low-risk source of income for rural impoverished farming communities. Umoya Foods has crafted a product where Amaranth, in all its forms, is the core ingredient.

Umoya Foods Nutrient Boosts harnesses all the goodness of dried Amaranth Leaf in an easy to use format.

At Umoya Foods, we are dedicated to building a sustainable market for the amaranth plant — a highly nutritious, drought-resistant crop ideally suited to the Southern African climate. Our amaranth leaves are proudly grown by small-scale farmers in South Africa, supporting local livelihoods while promoting resilient and regenerative agriculture.