Why is it time to venture into moringa business?
The Moringa Oleifera or simply Moringa is one of the wonders with nature. It is one of the few that people and scientists alike dub as a superfood because of its many properties that are beneficial to the human health.
However, nutritionists, scientists and experts do not take superfood as an official term—but a marketing term only.
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Why Superfood though?
However, studies have confirmed that the leaves of the Moringa indeed contain substantial amount of essential nutrients. The leaves mainly have proteins, carbohydrates, phosphorus, calcium, and potassium.
In the US, consumers have easily loved Moringa since its introduction because of its nutrient density compared to other foods.
Fresh leaves have seven times the amount of Vitamin C than oranges, four times the amount of Vitamin A than carrots, three times the amount of potassium than bananas and twice the amount of protein than milk.
Simply drying the leaves even make these number go higher. Dried leaves may contain 17 times the amount of calcium and 15 times the amount of potassium of bananas.
Moringa also contains the essential fatty acids omega-3 and omega-6, which promote overall heart health.
Because of these benefits, the market for Moringa will continue to rise as the modern world has become fast-paced in which people inevitably switch to fast food and processed food to keep up with the pace.
Various uses of moringa
Just like coconut, the Moringa tree is full of uses from the root to bark—enough to have a backyard pharmacy.
The roots and the bark contain anti-flammatory and antibiotic properties. In various parts of Asia, the roots are used to treat various ailments such as asthma and various intestinal problems.
People in Asia and Africa use the moringa flowers in salads, into tea or eaten on their own.
The seeds are eaten as raw and are used to make edible oil, biofuel and medicine.
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The leaves are widely used in developing countries for its versatility. They are cooked as vegetables, for tea, smoothies, turn into medicine, as animal feed, and many more.
Is it time to work with moringa?
Yes, it.
The rising awareness of people about the many surprising health benefits of Moringa is growing . And this has led to a rapid increase in demand in areas the tree isn’t native to, such as in the United States and in the European countries.
According to a 2019 report by Global News Wire, the European market value of Moringa ingredients will surpass 2 billion USD by 2025. While in the US, this number will exceed 350 billion USD. And these assumptions might be even lower since the COVID-19 pandemic has hit these regions heavily.
Another factor to the growth is the market itself. The market in these developed countries is still young. Much of the population do not even know the mere existence of the superfood. To penetrate these countries, one may have to begin by educating them.
People in countries where Moringa trees are abundant can benefit to this demand. Aside from picking leaves in the backyard to cook as viand, one can start turning these leaves into powder to begin with.
India had already started this path as they’re the leading supplier in Europe. However, it has been noted that European buyers have questioned whether the Indian Moringa leaves are truly organic.
If one wants to venture exporting Moringa in Europe, it may not be easy as European are very meticulous with their quality requirement especially the composition and nutritional profile. They may request for the certificate of analysis to verify these. It’s clear sky and easy sailing if the requirement is obtained.
More moringa product ideas
In many South Asian nations, there are already many products made out of Moringa available in the market such as oil, powder, and teas. Moringa has also found its way in cosmetics (shampoo, soap, etc.) and in industrial uses (lubricant, biofuel, etc.)
In the Philippines,many Moringa-flavored food products like bread, yogurt, hotdog, biscuit, yema (a local sweet) and juices are available. It’s not very hard to formulate when Moringa can easily be obtained in your backyard every day. And the government has been very supportive in developing products out of local raw materials.
Key takeways
Yes, there are already products out of Moringa especially in Asia and Africa. If you live in one of these continents, it would be very easy for you to purchase Moringa products for ideas.
Existing Moringa products that you see online or at the nearby market could discourage you. They are popular in your area, but the market for Moringa is still small and limited globally.
