By KT Reporter
The Tooke brand, the flagship product of the Presidential Initiative on Banana Industrial Development (PIBID) and its commercial arm, the Banana Industrial Research and Development Centre (BIRDC), is now entering full commercialisation.
Having tested both the local and export markets, the initiative’s lead scientist and innovator, Dr Florence Muranga, says demand, especially in Europe, is rising sharply, prompting the team to scale up production and diversify the product line.
Prof Muranga notes that, if production expands as planned, Tooke flour could dominate the local market and significantly reduce the USD 500 million Uganda spends annually on wheat imports, while also boosting export earnings.
She explains that although Uganda’s banana farmers invest heavily in growing matooke, the returns remain low compared to the value of processed products. An average-size bunch that sells for 30,000 Shillings yields about four kilograms of Tooke flour, each valued at USD 13 (47,000 Shillings), a return of over 180,000 Shillings, particularly in markets such as the UK and wider Europe.
According to Prof Muranga, foreign consumers have embraced Tooke products faster than Ugandans due to the flour’s health benefits. Tooke flour is a science-based, gluten-free product rich in fibre and low in carbohydrates, making it a healthier alternative to wheat, which she says is associated with increased risks of hypertension and certain cancers.
Established in 2005 by President Museveni after Muranga’s successful demonstration of banana-processing viability, the brand has now met both local and international quality standards.
Tooke flour is used in bread, cakes, biscuits, baby foods, and a growing range of value-added products. The initiative is now strengthening its market presence and engaging distributors and potential franchise holders. Muranga was speaking during the launch of the “Create and Cook with Tooke” competition, designed to showcase the versatility and potential of banana-based products.
The challenge, running from January to March 2026, will bring together professional chefs, bakers, and culinary enthusiasts. “Subsequently, we have commenced to welcome entries from interested individual chefs and bakers. Winners will be crowned during a Grand Finale dinner in April 2026, which will also mark the 21st Anniversary of PIBID,” Muranga said.
Participation is open to professional chefs in three categories: bakers and pastry chefs with at least five years of experience, and general chefs with at least three years. Contestants will undergo training and compete through qualifying, semifinal and final rounds. Judging will focus on creativity, taste, presentation, and especially innovation in using Tooke flour. The top three contestants in each category will receive free online marketing opportunities.
Despite what she terms a slow journey to maturity, Muranga says the Tooke initiative has already made a strong social and economic impact. “It is noteworthy that the successful transition of the banana value addition initiative from research to commercialisation has helped to increase incomes, create employment, diversify and improve food security, as well as expand markets both local and international,” she said.
Tooke flour is a gluten-free, slow-digesting starch (SDS) and rich in resistant starch, qualities that are increasingly demanded in health-conscious markets. The competition, she adds, will help identify culinary professionals who can train others, expand awareness, and promote Tooke products across local, regional and international markets.
PIBID has established a 24-acre mother garden with 52 banana varieties at its Bushenyi pilot plant, transformed the dilapidated Nyaruzinga District Farm Institute into a Technology Business Incubator, and set up a research and processing facility for training and innovation.
Expansion plans include developing production facilities at the Ishara Industrial Technology Park on 640 acres, aimed at raising daily output of dry banana flour from the current 1.4 tonnes to 10–14 tonnes, while diversifying into fish and livestock feeds.
According to Bagonza, an executive member of the Presidential Advisory Committee on Exports and Industrial Development (PACEID), value addition to products like matooke and coffee can significantly increase Uganda’s foreign exchange earnings.
He says Tooke flour has gained popularity abroad, with particularly high demand in the UK, where consumers are increasingly learning that banana flour is a viable and healthier alternative to wheat.
At a recent event in Arusha, Gideon Maitha Mung’aro, Governor of Kenya’s Kilifi County, said Tooke is poised to be a game changer for countries like Kenya that rely heavily on flour-based foods.
Tooke recently earned Uganda the East Africa Quality Awards “Platinum Winner” recognition for the “Most Preferred Baking Banana Flour,” signalling growing regional confidence in Uganda’s banana innovations.
Bananas remain a major food crop in Uganda, cultivated by 75 per cent of farmers, with the country holding the world’s highest per capita banana consumption at 220-400 kg per year, according to UNDP. Uganda produces over 6 million tons of bananas annually, 70 per cent of which is consumed at home.
Entrepreneurs are also finding new opportunities in banana by-products. Hellen Munyasa, CEO of Helton Traders, says the future lies in diversifying into a range of food and non-food products, including fibres used in sewing threads, an area that aligns with Tooke’s broader innovation plans.
She says franchises and production partnerships offer Ugandans opportunities to increase their incomes through commissions.
According to the World Integrated Trade Solution, Uganda exported USD 6,355 worth of bananas, including plantains, fresh or dried, in 2023, amounting to 9,500 tons. Dry banana flour is used in ice creams, puddings, biscuits, cakes, crispbreads, colouring, flavouring, cereals and more.
Globally, Ecuador leads banana product exports with a 28.68 per cent market share and USD 3.65 billion in earnings, followed by the Philippines (USD 1.22 billion) and Costa Rica (USD 1.19 billion).
-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
