By Mulengera Reporters
Ms. Mabel Sebikari, a resident of Bunga in Makindye Division, is now making certified plant-based milk products, thanks to the technical support she received from the Uganda Industrial Research Institute (UIRI).
Her business, Sapphire Dairy Alternatives, is slowly gaining recognition for producing healthy dairy substitutes for people with health conditions or those who have chosen to stop consuming animal products.
Mabel, who is also the founder and CEO of the company, said her journey into plant-based dairy started after she noticed that many people were struggling with health problems related to dairy milk. Some were advised by doctors to avoid milk due to allergies or intolerance, while others had adopted new diets that excluded animal products. This inspired her to begin looking for natural and safe milk alternatives.
Her company now produces a variety of dairy-free products, including Mulondo soya milk, cashew cream cheese, as well as almond, soy, and cashew milk, products which are organic and made without preservatives.
Before approaching UIRI, however, she said she was facing serious challenges. The biggest problems were poor shelf life and lack of consistency in the final products. Customers often complained about changes in taste, texture, and quality.
Finding the right ingredients, stabilizing the formula, and managing food safety was also difficult.
In August 2024, she turned to UIRI for guidance and training. The team at UIRI took her through the technical aspects of food production and quality control, helped her improve her product formulation, source better ingredients, test nutritional value, and improve packaging standards.
Through UIRI’s laboratory and support systems, she was able to solve most of the issues that were holding her back.
UIRI also helped her understand the requirements for certification by the Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS), and as a result, her products are now certified with the Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS), and meet the standards required for public consumption.
In an exclusive interaction with Mulengera News, Mabel credited UIRI for playing a big role in her company’s improvement. Besides the training and technical support, she said UIRI continues to include her in national exhibitions and business showcases where she promotes her products to wider markets.
The support she received has given her confidence to grow the business further, and she is now focused on producing healthier options that can be trusted by Ugandans, especially those with dietary restrictions or special health needs.
With the continued guidance from UIRI, Sapphire Dairy Alternatives is expected to scale up production, contribute to local employment, and help promote healthier food choices across the country.
