Nairobi: Wheat has long dominated Africa’s bakeries, but inside Nairobi’s Kirsten Bakery, shelves increasingly feature breads, cakes, and pastries made from naturally gluten-free ingredients such as cassava, millet, and sorghum. The bakery is one example of a broader shift unfolding across Africa, where changing consumer preferences are creating new commercial opportunities for entrepreneurs, food scientists, and manufacturers to transform Indigenous crops into premium food products.
According to Global Voices, the growing appetite for gluten-free foods is not driven solely by medical necessity, such as celiac disease, which makes people intolerant to gluten. Judith Moraa, a Nairobi-based nutritionist, explained that people are increasingly choosing gluten-free foods due to gluten sensitivity and allergic reactions. Moraa noted that eliminating gluten is not, by itself, a weight-loss strategy, emphasizing that many consumers mistakenly associate wheat with weight gain when other contributors, such as excess
calories from fats and sugars, are to blame. She added that naturally gluten-free Indigenous crops like cassava, millet, and sorghum offer valuable nutritional benefits due to their rich dietary fiber content.
The global gluten-free baked goods market, valued at approximately USD 2.6 billion in 2025, is projected to reach USD 7.38 billion by 2034, reflecting growing demand for specialized bakery products. Although Europe and North America currently dominate the market, African businesses are positioning Indigenous crops as locally sourced alternatives capable of supplying both domestic consumers and international markets. Indigenous crops offer advantages beyond nutrition, being more resilient to drought and reducing dependence on imported wheat.
Researchers are developing technologies to make African gluten-free ingredients more competitive internationally. At the University of Pretoria, Food Science researcher Daddy Kgonothi has developed a patent-pending modified marama bean protein concentrate aimed at
improving the quality and affordability of gluten-free baked products. This invention is targeted at food manufacturers producing gluten-free bakery products and promises to tackle the technical challenges of replicating gluten’s structure and elasticity.
South African researchers are also exploring ways to transform cosmetically rejected potatoes into premium gluten-free foods. According to Potatoes South Africa, around 140,000 tons of potatoes are rejected annually for not meeting retailers’ aesthetic standards. Stellenbosch University researcher Tanja du Toit has developed gluten-free breads, muffins, and pancakes using reformulated potato flour, thus reducing food waste and catering to the growing demand for gluten-free foods.
Governments are also building institutional foundations for the sector. Nigeria secured approval through the Codex Alimentarius Commission to lead the development of an international standard for root and tuber flours. Similar developments across the continent include cassava bein
g processed into gluten-free flour and sorghum and millet finding new applications in specialty foods. Ethiopia’s teff is expanding beyond its traditional market, with investments highlighting growing confidence in Indigenous grains.
The commercial potential extends to finished consumer products, with African manufacturers increasingly exporting gluten-free and clean-label foods. Industry exhibitions like the AFMASS Food Expo in Nairobi showcase the growing focus on specialized flours and value-added African ingredients, positioning the continent to lead the artisanal ingredient industry in the future.