Grassroots Fiji is a small family business that is working hard to promote flower, fruit and vegetable farming and by products. The company has been helping link rural farmers to consumers through value added products like their recent introduction of Breadfruit Flour and Moringa Powder.
Grassroots Fiji’s Gluten-free Breadfruit flour is an alternative source of dietary fibre. The flour is higher in digestible protein compared to that of flours made from wheat, white potato or rice. Furthermore it’s naturally processed – made locally using local fresh breadfruits from settlements around Fiji and contains ZERO additives or preservatives.
Mr. Kumar says they have started with breadfruit flour, moringa or saijan powder, sweet potato flour and dried culinary herbs but hopes to have more products in the future.
Kumar says “breadfruit flour is a better alternative to wheat flour as it has better digestible proteins and higher end fibre while according to traditional knowledge, saijan is known to reduce blood sugar level, cholesterol level and is also beneficial for those who are anaemic as it has high iron content”.
Kumar adds that his company has received assistance from Hawaii based Breadfruit Institute which has agreed to support them by providing them technical knowledge on the conservation, study and use of breadfruit for food and reforestation.
He hopes to expand Grassroots Fiji to also manufacture products made from ripe breadfruit as it is not often consumed in Fiji.