Market-Based Sales of Nutritional Products in Low-Income Settings

Adrienne Clermont
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引用次数: 1

Abstract

Introduction Lipid-based nutrient supplements (LNS) have grown in popularity in recent years as a promising intervention to improve the nutritional outcomes of children in low-income contexts where the local diet is lacking in key macroand micronutrients. LNS products provide both energy and micronutrients, and have been shown to improve linear growth when consumed by young children.1,2 Such products are currently distributed primarily through humanitarian assistance programs, whose scope and duration are limited by the availability of donor funding. For LNS manufacturers, the fluctuations and unpredictability of a donor-driven funding stream have led to exploration of other potential revenue sources. In particular, there is growing interest in selling LNS products through market mechanisms, directly to consumers, in a financially sustainable manner – that is, at a minimum, recouping all production and distribution costs through sales revenue. This would also allow for greater reach and penetration than current programs, potentially leading to a more significant nutritional impact at a population level. This article examines the case of Haiti, a country with intensely high levels of poverty and food insecurity.3 If market-based sales of LNS were to prove viable in Haiti, this would not only provide a new and sustainable revenue stream for local LNS producers such as Meds & Food for Kids (MFK), based in CapHaitien, Haiti, but would also provide an affordable source of high-quality nutrition for low-income Haitians and an alternative to existing snack foods of poor nutritional value. Study methodology As part of a broader project carried out by Edesia (a US-based LNS producer) and MFK to evaluate the commercial feasibility of selling fortified, peanut-based LNS directly to consumers in Haiti, we conducted focus groups to better understand food purchasing and consumption behaviors among lowand middle-income Haitians. The primary objectives were to understand whether market-based sales of LNS would be affordable, appealing, and culturally appropriate. Formative research of this type is crucially important;4,5 if any of these factors are found to be lacking, sales will not be viable.
低收入地区营养产品的市场销售
近年来,脂质营养补充剂(LNS)作为一种有希望的干预措施越来越受欢迎,可以改善当地饮食中缺乏关键宏量和微量营养素的低收入儿童的营养状况。LNS产品提供能量和微量营养素,并已被证明可以改善幼儿的线性生长。1,2这些产品目前主要通过人道主义援助方案分发,其范围和持续时间受到捐助资金可用性的限制。对于LNS制造商来说,捐助者驱动的资金流的波动和不可预测性促使他们探索其他潜在的收入来源。特别是,人们对通过市场机制,以财务上可持续的方式直接向消费者销售LNS产品的兴趣越来越大,也就是说,至少通过销售收入收回所有生产和分销成本。与目前的计划相比,这也将允许更大的覆盖范围和渗透率,可能在人口水平上产生更显著的营养影响。这篇文章考察了海地的情况,一个高度贫困和粮食不安全的国家如果以市场为基础的LNS销售在海地被证明是可行的,这不仅将为当地的LNS生产商提供新的和可持续的收入来源,如海地CapHaitien的儿童药品和食品公司(MFK),而且还将为低收入的海地人提供负担得起的高质量营养来源,并替代现有的营养价值较低的休闲食品。作为Edesia(美国LNS生产商)和MFK开展的一个更广泛项目的一部分,我们开展了焦点小组,以更好地了解海地中低收入人群的食品购买和消费行为,该项目旨在评估直接向海地消费者销售强化花生LNS的商业可行性。主要目标是了解LNS的市场销售是否能够负担得起、有吸引力并且在文化上合适。这种类型的形成性研究是至关重要的;4,5如果这些因素中的任何一个被发现缺乏,销售将是不可行的。
本文章由计算机程序翻译,如有差异,请以英文原文为准。
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