Sorghum biscuits: towards authentic nutrition

Originally from Tunisia, Mohamed Zellama has been an avid sorghum consumer since childhood. In 2019, faced with a lack of awareness of the virtues of sorghum for human consumption in France, he approached local production in Occitanie to create ORI, a specialist in dietetic, nutritional, and eco-responsible sorghum biscuits. We met them again during a tasting at the 2021 European Congress in Toulouse.

Addressing a certain absence of cereal in the dynamic French biscuit market, the Ori project is the result of two and a half years of work. Today, after five months of official presence on the market, Ori is expanding its teams and increasing its skills.

"Our primary goal is to promote sorghum cultivation and local food production through farmers, processors, and research centers. We believe that sorghum is a very important issue in France!" explains Mohamed Zellama.

Healthy and responsible eating

Ori offers clean food (or smart food ) recipes : in a word, "clean" recipes without preservatives, colorings, flavorings or technical additives, and with a high nutritional intake; the project is part of the "One health" concept founded in 2010, as well as the government's sustainable development objectives.

For the creator of Ori, "Sorghum has both agronomic benefits through its resilience and resistance, but also nutritional and ecological benefits. It allows us to develop "real" food while respecting the environment ." This commitment is reflected in the design of packaging, a major issue that must be part of the overall approach to creating an eco-responsible product.

Promote local production

With two agricultural partners producing organic sorghum in the Tarn – Gers region, Ori is now seeking to expand its supply sectors to other areas to increase production capacity and speed, with a view to preparing its launch in large-scale distribution, but also with specialist organic stores and other smaller-scale points of sale: “We want to increase the presence of sorghum biscuits in the region to satisfy the purchasing practices of all consumers ,” underlines Mohamed Zellama.

Towards group dynamics

"We want to create a group dynamic so that sorghum stakeholders at the French and European levels can connect, discuss, and converge on their practices. The 2021 congress in Toulouse was a real springboard in this direction, with this vision of transversality and connecting professionals and interests." With very positive initial market feedback and strong consumer interest in the overall ethical and nutritional benefits of sorghum biscuits, Ori biscuits appear to be paving the way for new food solutions for the future.