GROWING SUPPORT for women-led farms
Kuli Kuli CEO Lisa Curtis first learned about the benefits of moringa while working as a Peace Corps volunteer in Niger. As a vegetarian, Curtis was living on a diet of corn and millet, which left her feeling sluggish. So the women in her village suggested she try the nutrient-rich leaves of the moringa tree, which grows pervasively in the tropical climate of West Africa.
They showed her how to grind the leaves into a fine green powder, and mix it into local snacks. Curtis soon felt better. The moringa eliminated her fatigue and provided the protein missing in her diet. Soon, she began exploring ways of bringing the nutritious green to the United States, while supporting womenled farms in Niger and beyond.
Curtis founded Oakland’s Kuli Kuli in 2011 and has since received support from Kellogg Co., the Clinton Foundation’s Haiti Program and Whole Foods, which recently named Kuli Kuli its supplier of the year.
Today, Kuli Kuli partners with 1,000 female-led farming cooperatives and smallholder farms in 11 countries throughout West Africa and South America. So far, these farmers have earned $1.5 million in income by selling a portion of their harvest to Kuli Kuli, which turns the leaves into teas, snack bars and more. The products are now available at 6,000 retailers around the country, including all Whole Foods stores.
We recently spoke with Curtis about moringa, its benefits and how celebrity chef Tyler Florence uses it in his cooking.
Q What exactly is moringa and where does it grow?
A Moringa is a drought-resistant tree that grows pervasively in tropical climates. We harvest the leaves and grind them into a powder, which we feature in several products, including teas and smoothie mixes.
Q What does it taste like? What foods does it pair well with?
CEO discusses how a protein-packed leaf is empowering female farmers in developing countries
A
Moringa has a mild green flavor, like a peppery version of matcha. We’ve found that it pairs best with three types of flavors — citrus and fruit, particularly pineapple; nutty or chocolatey flavors, particularly almond butter; and spicy flavors, like ginger.
Q
What are the purported health benefits?
A
Moringa is packed with nutrients. It is a complete protein, including all nine amino acids. It’s high in calcium, antioxidants, iron and vitamin A and has the anti-inflammatory properties of turmeric.
Q
What is your favorite way to consume moringa?
A
Our most popular product is an organic raw vegan powder, which can be swirled into smoothies. I like adding it to my oatmeal with a spoonful of almond butter and a sprinkling of chia seeds and goji berries. One tablespoon is equivalent to two cups of leafy green vegetables.
Q
How would you use moringa in the kitchen? Like we do with turmeric?
A
Tyler Florence recently came to my house and used the powder to make halibut with an almond moringa crust. He dredged the fish in flour first, then egg, then in a mixture of toasted and crushed almonds, lemon zest and moringa powder and cooked it in the pan. It was delicious.
Q
What’s the next nutrient-dense food you’re interested in bringing to the U.S. market?
A
Our vision is to use moringa to improve nutrition abroad and in the United States. But we’re also interested in plants that intercrop well with moringa. We’re very interested in African baobab and Brazilian camu camu. We want to create living forests of crops.