A family-owned company in the nutritional food industry has partnered with a French company in Bless-Agri Food Laboratory Services Plc, eying the fight against malnutrition in Ethiopia.

Safir, an affiliate of the French manufacturer Nutriset, has secured a stake in Bless-Agri Food Laboratory Services Plc, significantly owned by the Belete Beyen family. The one million Euro deal sees Safir acquiring 15pc of the company's shares, marking the second significant alliance between Nutriset and the Family enterprise in the past 15 years.

Safir, itself a joint venture between the Nutriset Group, which holds the trademark for PlumpyNut; Mérieux NutriSciences; and BPI France, France’s public investment bank, focuses on fostering and financing projects that bridge public health, nutrition, and agriculture in Africa.

The new deal was formally announced last week at the French Embassy. Rémi Maréchaux, France's ambassador to Ethiopia, highlighted the history of collaborations between Nutriset and the Belete Family while applauding the quality of their production process.

"French companies have shown great interest in Ethiopia," said Ambassador Maréchaux, referring to the presence of nearly 40 companies such as BGI-Ethiopia, Boortmalt and Soufflet. "They aren't looking for quick profit but aim to establish long term relationships with their counterparts."

Safir's lead partner in Ethiopia, Belete Beyene, is a seasoned veteran in the domestic nutritional foods landscape with a remarkable five-decade career. He once managed Faffa Foods Complex during the military Derg regime. He was also behind launching "Dube", a popular flour brand during the last years of the military government.

Belete later ventured into Hilina Enriched Foods in the late 1990s. Incorporated in 1998, the company, named after his daughter who now manages it, began as a salt iodising plant but pivoted to providing roasting services for chickpeas and soybeans after Ethiopia lost access to the Port of Assab, leading to a significant salt supply shortfall.

The political turmoil between Ethiopia and Eritrea interrupted almost all of Ethiopia’s salt production, forcing the country to eventually shift its focus to neighbouring Djibouti.

In 2006, a new opportunity arose when UNICEF approached Hilina Enriched Foods to produce relief food upon specifications. This prompted Belete to contact Nutriset, which holds patents for multiple nutritional foods, resulting in a fruitful alliance.

Malnutrition poses a severe challenge in Ethiopia, with staggering statistics revealing that 38pc of children under five are stunted, and over 23.6pc are underweight. According to UNICEF, 9.9pc of children under five are affected by wasting, while 22pc of women aged 15-49 years are undernourished. The iodine shortage has caused widespread health issues, including mental retardation and reproductive failure.