Annapura iodised salt

The simplest solutions can make the biggest impact.

  • Ghana salt hands

    Annapurna iodised salt

    Annapurna is refined iodised salt sold in small, affordable sachets that would not last long enough to degrade in the sun.

Iodine Deficiency Disorder is a global health issue

Iodine Deficiency Disorder (IDD) is a global health issue. According to UNICEF, 740 million people are iodine deficient. The United Nations has identified that 30% of children under the age of five in Africa suffer from IDD. Goitre, an enlargement of the thyroid gland, is a visual consequence of IDD. Children with IDD will never reach their full mental or physical potential.

Our low-cost solution: Annapurna iodised salt

Although the prevalence of iodine deficiency is high and the potential solution, iodisation of salt, may seem simple, public awareness campaigns on using iodised salt had not been successful in countries such as Ghana. In this country, where 30% of the population lives on less than a dollar a day, it was difficult to persuade people to switch to iodised salt that was twice as expensive as non-iodised salt.

Annapurna launched in 1999

In 1999, Unilever launched Annapurna iodised salt in India, followed with a launch in Ghana in 2001. It is the first product ever endorsed by the International Council for Control of IDD. To be able to offer Annapurna at a price that was affordable for even the lowest-income families, Unilever Africa scrutinised all the costs. This resulted in the development of a cost-efficient system whereby the production was outsourced, creating 200 local jobs, new retail distribution channels were created and 100 gram sachets were offered at an affordable price. Roadshows with information supplied by the Ghana Health Service raised awareness on the benefits of iodised salt and built consumer confidence in the Annapurna brand.

Over 50% of consumers switched to iodised salt

Three years after the launch of Annapurna, over 50% of consumers had switched to iodised salt. The unilever Food & Health Research Institute and the Unilever Nutrition Network Africa are now working together with UNICEF and the Ghana Health Service to 'convert' the rest of the population. We have also launched Annapurna in Nigeria and are making plans to launch it in other African countries as well.

Annapurna salt in Ghana

In just two years, sales of iodine-enriched Annapurna salt in Ghana have captured 35% of the market and helped increase distribution of iodised salt – a key requirement in the fight against iodine deficiency – by 50%