Edesia Nutrition
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Edesia Nutrition is an American non-profit company that makes Plumpy'nut, a Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF). The specialized food is used to treat children suffering from severe acute malnutrition. In a typical year it buys food from U.S. growers and makes Plumpy'Nut for five million children in thirty countries.[1] [2]
The company was founded in Rhode Island in 2010 by Navyn Salem. At that time Edesia was the sole producer of Plumpy’nut in the United States. By 2015, Edesia had helped 2.5 million children in 44 countries ranging from Chad and Pakistan to The Central African Republic.[3]
Edesia primarily creates Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTFs), as well as or Ready-to-Use-Supplementary Food (RUSFs). The food packets are designed for malnourished children. Edesia’s products include Plumpy’Nut, Plumpy’Doz, Plumpy’Sup, and Nutributter, which are high energy, peanut pastes fortified with ingredients including vitamins and minerals, skimmed milk powder, soy flour, sugar, whey and vegetable oils.[4]
In June 2018, Navyn Salem, the founder and CEO of Edesia received Ernst & Young LLP’s Entrepreneur of the Year 2018 Award for the New England region. Salem said she hoped the award would bring more visibility to the malnutrition crisis and the work Edesia was doing to bring about meaningful change.[5]
Yogurt maker Chobani partnered with Edesia in 2021 to create Chobani peanut butter nutrient spreads. Chobani said it would donate 100 percent of profits from these spreads to Edesia for the production of Plumpy’Nut, the fortified peanut based food that is used to nourish children with acute malnutrition.[6]
In November 2023, Edesia received a $137 million donation from the Bezos Family Foundation.[7]
Official website
[edit]Edesia Nutrition - www.edesianutrition.org
References
[edit]- ^ Bright, Jewe (April 25, 2025). "Where's Plumpy'Nut? A lifesaving food for malnourished kids is caught up in U.S. cuts". npr. Retrieved May 17, 2025.
- ^ Smith, Cory (April 24, 2025). "Food for starving children piles up in Rhode Island warehouse amid cuts to USAID". WBFF Fox45. Baltimore, Maryland. Retrieved May 17, 2025.
- ^ "URI students collaborate with local nonprofit Edesia to raise awareness of childhood malnutrition". Rhody Today. January 21, 2015. Retrieved May 19, 2025.
- ^ "USAID Partners with Edesia to Fight World Hunger". Borgen Magazine. September 10, 2013. Retrieved May 19, 2025.
- ^ "Edesia's Salem named EY's N.E. Entrepreneur of the Year 2018". Providence Business News. June 9, 2019. Retrieved May 21, 2025.
- ^ Plasterer, Jenna (September 28, 2021). "Chobani Enters the Peanut Butter Aisle With Launch of Chobani Ends Child Hunger Peanut Butter Flavored Spreads". Deli Market News. Retrieved May 21, 2025.
- ^ Dymowski, Cal (November 17, 2023). "Rhode Island nonprofit receives $137M to fight malnutrition". WJAR. Retrieved May 21, 2025.