Drought-resistant and locally sourced, they are sustainable alternatives to wheat and the market for them is growing.

As health-conscious consumers increasingly look beyond wheat, Africa's indigenous crops are finding new commercial value. Growing demand for gluten-free foods is encouraging bakeries, researchers and food manufacturers to transform traditional staples such as cassava, millet, sorghum and teff into premium products for domestic and export markets.

Wheat has long dominated Africa's bakeries. But at Nairobi's Kirsten Bakery, shelves increasingly feature breads, cakes and pastries made from naturally gluten-free ingredients such as cassava, millet and sorghum.

It's 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.

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"Nowadays, people are choosing gluten-free foods not only because they have coeliac disease, but also because they are sensitive to gluten and experience allergic reactions after consuming products that contain it," said Nairobi nutritionist Judith Moraa.

There is no medical reason to stop eating gluten if you can tolerate it, she says, but naturally gluten-free indigenous crops offer valuable nutritional benefits. They are rich in dietary fibre that supports digestion.

New markets

These changing dietary preferences are increasingly translating into commercial opportunity. The global gluten-free bakery products market was valued at about...