Aunt Porridge, which manufactures nutritional products for children with Low Appetite, underweight, adult patients, the elderly, as well as breastfeeding mothers, trades under Forna Health Foods Ltd.
It was founded in 2015 by local entrepreneurs, Angella Nabweteme and Hilary Bainemigisha, and works in partnership with Makerere University School of Food Science Technology and Nutrition.
Usher Kulusum, the firm’s head of marketing and public relations, termed the award as a well-deserved one, since the managers at UMA have seen their struggles since inception.
“They saw us struggling to register our products and ensure they are well packaged and marketed throught Uganda. This is in recognition of how far we have come as a company,” she told Habari Daily on the sidelines of the recently held trade fair.
She described the award as one given on merit, since it was through a series of findings that they were elevated to such a level in the corporate world.
The Award recently won by Forna Health Foods Ltd, which trades as Aunt Porridge
“Beginning with one employee [Angella], the company now boasts of 50 workers who are engaged in production, marketing and distribution. Our story is real, since it touches the lives of hundreds of other Ugandans,” she said.
She said they started with only two products that were composed of Mukene (Silver Fish) and pumpkin seeds, but they later added oats, rice and all the 12 fine ingredients. They currently have a range of seven different products on the market and are eyeing the regional export market after creating a supply chain in all parts of Uganda.
“No other Ugandan nutritious foods manufacturing firm is making all those fine ingredients, putting them together to draw the growth journey of thousands of consumers,” she said, adding: “We have gone beyond just producing a flour product but produce a solution to nutrition and growth needs for consumers.”
Kulusum further described the UMA recognition as being timely, especially during this time when they are planning to go into mass production of their products, soon after procuring a production unit courtesy of Inua Capital.
She commended Makerere university for lending them a hand when it comes to the standardization, perfection and mass production of Aunt Porridge composite flour.
