The idea of launching the Plumpy’nut in the field® network came from Nutriset’s willingness to make the access to the Plumpy’nut® product easier and sustainable for people who suffer from malnutrition in developing countries. Nutriset then developed 2 production systems that meet our partner’s demand in terms of needs and faisability:

1. Production within the franchised producers’ network « Plumpy’nut in the field® »

These productions are industrial and their capacity can vary from 200 to 2 000MT per year. The franchised producers manufacture Plumpy’nut® type ready to use therapeutic food (RUTF) to be sold within social or humanitarian stakeholders.
The franchising system is based on know-how, concept, and brand transfer from Nutriset to an independent local producer located in a developing country.
This transfer includes training, implementation and follow-up of the following know-hows:

- Process
- Assurance et Quality control
- Management

and makes the Plumpy’nut® product locally available to users at the same quality level than the one produced by nutriset.

From their side, the franchisees commit to apply and respect the know-how passed by Nutriset as well as its good commercial practises.

These productions are validated by audits carried out by Nutriset every year and by audits conducted by independent international organisations.

To date, 4 franchised producers are part of the Plumpy’nut in the field® network, in Malawi, Niger, DRC and Ethiopia. In 2008, a new partner in Dominican Republic should be joining the network.

Download the full presentation of the franchising system

2. Production in partnership with community groups or NGO

These are small scale productions, below 50 MT per year, managed by social or humanitarian stakeholders to meet the needs of their own nutritional programs. This activity, as well as making the access to the product easier, is generating income for the producers (mainly women’s group).

Within this system, the Plumpy’nut in the field® network offers its support in process, quality and management via:
- Sending a consultant in the field to conduct a feasibility study, make recommendations, set up the production unit, give trainings and carry out follow-up audit and impact studies.
- Making available to the producer a production manual and a quality document (systems, procedures and recordings)

Quality of the finished product is here guaranteed by complying with Nutriset’s recommendations. However, the producer will be responsible for the Quality of the product distributed.
The first productions of that kind are being made currently in North Ouganda with the NGO International Medical Corps and projects are being studied in Sudan and Burkina Faso…