Workshop highlights b2b potential of fortified flour

A high-level, industry-focused workshop titled "Fortified Flour for Bangladesh's Processed Food Industry: B2B Opportunities" was held on 15 January 2026 at Hotel Lakeshore Heights in Dhaka, bringing together leading food manufacturers, flour millers, technology providers and development partners from across Bangladesh's processed food sector.

The workshop was organised by the Millers for Nutrition Coalition, powered by TechnoServe with funding support from the Gates Foundation. The objective was to demonstrate how fortified wheat flour can serve as a commercially viable raw material for the processed food industry while contributing to improved nutrition and public health outcomes.

The event saw participation from a wide range of leading food and agribusiness companies, including ACI Foods, IFAD Multi Products Ltd., Akij Essential Ltd., Akij FMCG Ltd., Meghna Group of Industries, Coopers, Golden Harvest, Dan Foods Ltd., Eurasia Foods Ltd., Rupushi BD Group, Janata Biscuit Company, PRAN Group, QAM (KFC and Pizza Hut), Igloo Ice Cream and Milk Industries, Square Food and Beverage Ltd., Mim Sharat Group and Grameen Danone. Their participation highlighted the sector's readiness to integrate fortified wheat flour into mainstream production across biscuits, bakery, dairy, snacks, noodles and ready-to-eat food categories.

In the opening session, Md Guljer Ahmmed, Country Programme Manager of TechnoServe, underscored the strategic importance of the processed food industry as a scalable delivery platform for essential micronutrients. He noted that fortified flour presents a dual opportunity by enhancing brand value and market competitiveness while supporting national nutrition priorities.

Keynote presentations were delivered by Prof Dr Mohammad Gulzarul Aziz of Bangladesh Agricultural University and Md Nayem Zobayer, Senior Food Fortification Specialist at TechnoServe.

A facilitated discussion titled "What Could Be Our Next Step?" brought together global technology and nutrition leaders, including BASF and Bühler Bangladesh, along with development partners such as WFP, GAIN and Nutrition International. Participants shared insights on technical readiness, supply chain integration and partnership models required to scale fortified flour adoption nationwide.

Reza Mohammad Mohsin, Director (Accounts and Finance Division) of the Directorate General of Food, attended the event as chief guest. He noted that although fortified wheat flour is not yet included in Bangladesh's social safety net programmes, the government is actively exploring its future inclusion. He also acknowledged the rapid growth of fortified food products in the consumer market and commended private sector leadership in advancing nutrition-sensitive food systems.

The workshop was chaired by Professor Dr Mohammad Shoeb, Member (Food Industry and Production) of the Bangladesh Food Safety Authority. In his remarks, he emphasised that fortified flour is not only a nutritionally enriched ingredient but also an important tool for ensuring food safety and improving public health in a sustainable manner.

The event concluded with a vote of thanks from Md Guljer Ahmmed, reaffirming the shared commitment of industry, government and development partners to expand sustainable and inclusive food fortification in Bangladesh.

Millers for Nutrition is supported by strategic fortification partners BASF, BioAnalyt, dsm-firmenich, Mühlenchemie and SternVitamin; regional strategic fortification partners Hexagon Nutrition, Piramal and Sanku; and a growing network of local technical partners. The coalition is powered by TechnoServe with funding from the Gates Foundation.