A delicious smell of baking fills the air, making its way down the street in a semi-industrial area of Kilifi County on the Kenyan coast. Francis Thoya is busy baking his fish cookies.
“I wanted to create something useful, affordable, and healthy,” Francis said, sitting proudly in his small factory, which is the centre of his efforts to make nutritional foods available to everyone.
Thoya’s efforts began after the COVID-19 outbreak flipped his entire world. Before 2020, Francis worked as an event planner, focusing on birthday parties, weddings, and other events. However, his once-thriving business stood at a standstill as social gatherings were prohibited due to the nationwide lockdown.
In an attempt to adjust, Francis started selling dried shark meat. He thought it was a sensible decision that would help people stockpile food during lockdowns because shark meat has a long shelf life.
However, the business soon encountered difficulties. When the supply of shark meat dried up due to over-fishing, Thoya was forced to give up the business. There was also the issue of the meat’s overwhelming stench.
“I remember walking home one day, and some ladies joked that I smelled of shark. It was really tough,” he said with a laugh.
However, a door then opened. While looking for a sustainable business idea, Francis came across Kilifi County’s malnutrition data. According to the data, pregnant women and children under five in the region were experiencing significant nutritional deficits.
This information was a revelation. Francis began looking at ways to combat malnutrition with accessible resources in his area. He investigated the health advantages of fruit and cassava. Then he remembered his experiences with fish and began speaking with specialists and nutritionists. He began experimenting with a baked concoction of all three ingredients. He settled on a cookie solution… something that would be palatable to children as well as adults.
After months of trial and error, Samaki Biscuits was born, a straightforward, reasonably priced snack made to offer the most nutrients with the fewest ingredients.
“These biscuits are high in essential vitamins, omega-3 fatty acids, and protein. Cassava gives you energy, fish aids with brain growth, and fruits give you natural sweetness and essential minerals. It’s a well-rounded solution with each bite.,” Francis said.
A local pastry chef came across Francis’s effort and was then inspired to join the effort. Recognising the Samaki Biscuits’ potential to save lives Ngumbao Kazungu decided to join the cause, offering his culinary experience to help refine and improve the production of these nutrient-dense cookies.
Fresh fish is cleaned, dried, and pounded into a thin powder. The fish powder is combined with cassava flour, a major crop in Kilifi County.
To add taste and nutrients, fruits like pineapples, mangoes, and bananas are either dried and processed into powder or mixed into a puree.
“We combine everything — fish, cassava, and fruits — in precise amounts. A little water and butter hold it all together, and sometimes we add icing sugar for sweetness,” Ngumbao said.
After that, the mixture is formed into cookies and cooked for 45 minutes to an hour at a regulated temperature. This gives the baked result a delicious crunch while preserving the nutrition. To further preserve their lifespan and freshness, they are placed in airtight packing after cooling, ready to be sold over the counter.
Pwani University, located in Kilifi County, tested the biscuits in their lab and found them to be a workable solution to a challenging problem, according to Professor Jofrey Kashindi, a researcher in the university’s Research and Extension Division, which mobilises resources, identifies collaborators [such as Francis] and manages research funds, according to their website.
“This project integrates all the key value chains of this county—fruits, fish, and cassava. We hope to carry out additional research to find additional benefits these cookies might offer beyond what we already know,” Jofrey said.
Beyond better health, the community has also benefited from the introduction of Samaki Biscuits in other ways. Francis purchases fruits and cassava from nearby farmers, promoting sustainable livelihoods for small-scale farms in Kilifi.
Additionally, local fishermen have another reliable market for their catch, increasing their revenue and reducing waste.
“It’s a win-win situation. In addition to addressing nutritional issues, we are building the local economy,” Francis explained.
Another Pwani University official, Patricia Mbogo, a lecturer of Food, Nutrition, and Dietetics, with a doctorate in nutrition believes that something needs to be done to reduce malnutrition, especially in expectant mothers and children.
“In Kilifi County, malnutrition is a problem, particularly among children and pregnant women. About 30% of children under five in Kilifi are malnourished. That’s three or four kids out of ten,” Patricia said.
The reception to Francis’ cookies amongst his intended client base has been beyond his expectations. One consumer and parent described how the biscuits had brought back her hope, gesturing to an energetic child who was giggling with her siblings, she said, “these biscuits have brought back her strength.”
The parent is among a steadily growing client base. In the beginning of the project, Francis sold 10 packets weekly but has now upscaled to 1,000 packs per week.
Francis continues to encounter difficulties despite Samaki Biscuits’ evident popularity. A major obstacle that restricts the scope of production and distribution is still funding. Francis, however, remains steadfast in his resolve. His motivation comes from the appreciation of the families who have benefited from his work.
“I know I’m doing what I’m supposed to do when a mother tells me her child is gaining weight and feeling healthier because of something I made,” he said.
While Samaki Biscuits remains a cottage industry for now, Francis has bigger dreams. He intends to increase production, form alliances with nearby educational institutions and medical facilities, and broaden distribution outside of Kilifi County. His ultimate objective is to contribute so that no mother or child in Kilifi — and eventually further afield — suffers from inadequate nutrition.
“This is my mission, not just my work,” he said. “I want to demonstrate that major problems may be solved without the need for large machinery or opulent factories.”
As for the children who regularly eat the cookies, their sparkling eyes and quick movements while Francis handed out biscuits tell a story of a snack made with care. The biscuits have become a small but important part of their daily routine, one nourishing nibble at a time.”
Story Credit: Velma Pamela for Bird Story Agency
