Le Lionceau: Senegal’s First Locally Sourced Baby Food Revolutionizing Nutrition with Indigenous Crops
- yanabijoor
- Jun 7
- 2 min read
What is the problem?
Senegal relies on 90% imported baby food that is not specific to local tastes. Relying on imported food makes nutrition costly and less accessible. As a result, infant malnutrition affects 20% of children under five due to limited dietary variety and poor nutrition in the first 1,000 days.
What is the solution?
Le Lionceau, founded by Siny Samba and Rémi Filastò, produces affordable, 100% locally sourced baby food, including purées, infant flour, cereals, and biscuits, using nutrient-rich African crops such as mil, fonio, baobab fruit, moringa, and niébé. It partners with over 5,000 local farmers and empowers over 500 women. These women work in supply chain roles, teach nutrition workshops, and help distribute products in supermarkets, gas stations, and via online subscription.
Why is it innovative?
Le Lionceau is Senegal’s first baby food brand to exclusively use indigenous crops exclusively, reducing import dependency and promoting biodiversity. It transforms agricultural byproducts, such as mango waste, into high-value, nutrient-dense products tailored to local tastes, unlike generic, imported formulas. The shift from artisanal to semi-industrial production, with a capacity of 500 jars and 1,000 flour packets daily, enhances productivity. Its socially-driven agribusiness model integrates smallholder farmers and women, combining profit with purpose to address malnutrition sustainably.
What is the impact to date?
Le Lionceau addresses infant health with nutrient-rich, affordable baby food, reducing malnutrition in the first 1,000 days. It supports over 5,000 farmers, boosting rural incomes, and employs 25 staff, with a focus on empowering over 500 women through supply and education roles. Since 2018, sales have quadrupled, capturing a growing share of Senegal’s baby food market, with products now widely available in urban areas and plans in place for expansion into the Ivory Coast and Ghana. Repurposing agricultural waste promotes sustainability and food security. Le Lionceau has won awards, including the 2016 Meet Africa and 2018 HUB Africa 2nd prize, as well as support from I&P Acceleration in Sahel and Teranga Capital, which validates its model.
What needs to be improved?
Securing a consistent supply of high-quality local ingredients is challenging due to variable agricultural yields and limited processing infrastructure. Reliance on imported packaging from France or Italy increases costs and environmental impact. The company needs local or sustainable packaging solutions. The company needs to partner with NGOs or government programs as rural outreach is limited, where malnutrition is most severe. Scaling across West Africa poses complex regulatory and logistical barriers, demanding robust market research and infrastructure for its franchise or export model. Further cost reductions through local innovations or economies of scale are needed to reach lower-income families.
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