Number of clients served:
: clients
Insta Products (EPZ), Ltd.
Insta Products (EPZ), Ltd.
For-profit
Year launched: 2003Existing or expanding (post-pilot)
Country of Operation
Kenya
Target geography
Target Population
Target income level
- Bottom 20%
- Lower-middle income (20-40%)
Health focus
- Nutrition
Summary
Insta Products EPZ Limited (Insta) is a well-established manufacturer located in Nairobi, Kenya. They specialize in manufacturing low-cost flour-based nutritional products for emergency feedings programs throughout East Africa and are in close collaboration with UNICEF, USAID, WFP, and other major humanitarian organizations.Program goals
The Kenyan-based Insta Products company manufactures fortified foods for use in cases of acute and chronic/severe malnutrition. They are one of seven global suppliers recognized by UNICEF. The company recently parternered with Valid Nutrition to expand Ready to Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) from October 2009 to December 2011, specifically through an agreement to manufacture a peanut paste energy dense food product for severly and acutely malnourished (SAM) persons.
As of 2008, Acumen invested in the company. The World Bank reports that acute malnutrition is the main contributer to child mortality. Almost one-third of children in developing countries are underweight or stunted. Malnutrition in children often can result in high diarrhea rates worsening nutritional status, poor intellectual development, and greater risk of morbidity and mortality, indicating its place of importance in the field of international development and health markets. In particular, 40% of Kenyan children between 12 and 23 months suffer from stunting. In response, Insta manufactures a protein and vitamin rich low-cost porridge product suitable for infants, young children, and adults.
Key program components
To address this local need of fortified, food products for the malnourished, Insta focuses on manufacturing innovative nutritional solutions with the following key aspects in mind:
Local Purchasing: Insta sources the bulk of its raw materials (maize and soy) from local suppliers purchasing directly from small and medium scale farmers in Kenya and Uganda.
Targeting the Poor: The low-cost porridge Insta produces is pre-cooked and contains all nine essential amino acids required by the human body, which is especially important in Kenya where animal products are rare and expensive.
Partnering with Distributers: International aid organizations such as UNICEF, WFP (World Food Program), and USAID purchase and distribute the products. Insta is also planning to target low-income families directly through retail distribution.
Scale
Financials
Reported Results
Related Programs
Living goods is an “Avon-like” network of franchised community health promoters who provide health education and earn a living selling essential health products door-to-door at prices affordable to the poor.
The HealthStore Foundation’s CFW network is a network of medical clinics and micro-pharmacies whose mission is to provide access to essential medicines to marginalized populations in the developing world. Their main services include diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of prevalent outpatient condit
Healthy Entrepreneurs distributes high quality and affordable essential health products, services and information enhancing the health of people in developing countries. HE organizes an end-to-end supply chain to local entrepreneurs, who run a pharmacy or drugstore, and health facilities.
The Safe Water and AIDS Project (SWAP) trains community health promoters who undertake door to door sales of health and hygiene products and provide health information.
DoctorFromHome is a revolutionary online(Telehealth) service designed for both doctors and patients which uses our cutting edge technology for online video consult 24x7 to meet and exceed the local needs of our urban and rural population
