UNICEF invites African food companies to join First Foods Africa initiative

UNICEF is inviting African-owned food companies to express interest in joining the First Foods Africa (FFA) initiative—a strategic effort to transform food systems for children across 14 African countries.

The initiative is focused on addressing child food poverty and malnutrition by empowering local food producers and promoting access to nutritious, safe, affordable and sustainable foods tailored for children aged 6–59 months.

The initiative will be implemented in the following countries:

• West and Central Africa: Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, DR Congo, Ghana, Nigeria, Senegal

• Eastern and Southern Africa: Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia

About First Foods Africa

First Foods Africa brings together public and private sector leaders to drive a systemic, sustainable transformation of food systems by Africa, for Africa. It aims to:

• Incentivize local production of nutritious foods for young children

• Shape policy environments to support access to healthy foods

• Promote widespread consumption of nutritious first foods through behavior change programs

• Strengthen local economies through sustainable agricultural and food practices

• Align with national development and nutrition strategies

FFA is guided by the UNICEF Nutrition Strategy 2020–2030 and is part of UNICEF’s broader Africa Strategy.

Eligibility Criteria

Companies applying must:

• Be majority-owned by African nationals

• Be based in one or more of the 14 selected countries

• Align with UNICEF and national goals to reduce child food poverty

• Be engaged or demonstrate strong interest in producing nutritious foods for young children

• Source raw materials locally and promote sustainable agricultural practices

• Have products addressing critical nutrition gaps in children’s diets (e.g., animal-source foods, fruits and vegetables, pulses, nuts, seeds)

• Comply with national policies and food safety regulations

UNICEF will not engage companies that are:

• Violating the Code of Marketing for Breastmilk Substitutes

• Primarily producing ultra-processed foods and beverages

• Falling under broader UN exclusionary criteria (details available upon request)

Selection Process

The selection involves four steps:

1. Expression of Interest (EOI): Complete the online form, including three annexes:

   • Annex 1a: Commitment to FFA’s principles

   • Annex 1b: Confirmation of eligibility

   • Annex 2: Company and product details

2. Shortlisting: Based on responses and scoring, shortlisted companies will be contacted via email and asked to submit supporting documents.

3. Assessment: Evaluation of financial performance and business plans by investment partners.

4. Final Selection: Companies passing Step 3 will be onboarded. Continuous compliance with FFA principles will be required, with regular monitoring and coordination with national governments.

Application Requirements

Shortlisted companies must provide:

• Company registration (certificates, incorporation, business ID)

• Company profile (ownership, structure, directors, nationality of shareholders)

• Product overview (nutritional value, ingredients, pricing, raw material sources)

• Additional documents (market data, investment info, working capital)

• Optional: Preliminary business case for nutritious first foods and desired financial instruments (e.g., debt, equity, guarantees)

How to Apply

Interested companies can apply by completing the Expression of Interest form here.