121% funded - Thank you all for the support!!!
100% Natural Baobab Drinks - good for your Guts! #Sexyguts
You may have seen Baobab featured recently on BBC or Channel 4 health and superfood programs, or our feature in the industry leading Grocer magazine, it’s started to get a lot of attention! After years of experience in The Gambia we are bringing a Delicious, Nutritious and Convenient fruity drinks range made from the baobab fruits, giving you a multivitamin hit and supporting gut health on the go!
As well as being full of Vitamin C, Antioxidants with Potassium and Calcium our drinks are uniquely high in soluble and insoluble fibres acting as a PREbiotic, which help to cultivate and multiply the number of healthy bacteria already in your digestive system.
Unlike popular PRObiotics on our major supermarket shelves we are natural, not fermented, none lab produced bacteria, low sugar, fruit based, and completely free of all the 14 major allergens. We are Vegan, Gluten Free, Dairy free, Soy Free, low in sugar, and green on the whole traffic light system (low calorie, zero salt, zero fat), catering for many dietary and lifestyle needs. We have designed our multi-packs to help recommended daily/regular consumption as part of your balance and varied diet.
Baobab Benefits - Packed Full of Nutrients
- High in Vitamin C, with more antioxidants than Blueberries excellent for Skin health
- Helps the absorption of Iron (vitamin C and Iron combination)
- Rich in many micro nutrients, fibre and polyphenols, known to increase satiety helping in weight management (basically keeps you fuller for longer)
- Ability to reduce blood sugar levels and the potential likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes Tell me more
- Low glyceamic response (GR / GI index) and for improving various other metabolic parameters" read more.
What is inside? Simple… Raw & Organic Baobab fruit pulp, a little natural stevia to bring out the natural sugar in the fruit, blended with whole fruits (orange, banana, and strawberry flavours). Nature does most of our work, added to our unique blending process.
Increasing Gut Health Market
- Global prebiotics estimated to grow to $8.5 billion by 2024 with Europe and America as market leaders.
- We are the first UK Baobab drinks range and we don’t mean Baobab as an extract, no, no, we are full of Baobab we lead on Baobab! We loooove Baobab!
- The free from category is increasing in the UK, estimated to reach £673 million by 2020 (Mintel, 2016)
Baobab: The Tree of Life
From one of the oldest trees on the planet, the Baobab fruit is said to be the only fruit in the world that dries naturally on the tree. Its iconic 'Tree of Life' is known for wisdom, strength and resilience in local culture. Across Africa our ancestors have taken Baobab for thousands of years for health and medicine within the young, elderly and pregnant women. In The Gambia Baobab is a celebration of Joy; no party, wedding or baby naming ceremony is a celebration without it.
With minimal processing and simple natural ingredients, we are able to retain all the nutritional goodness, never ever from concentrate, and absolutely nothing artificial! Drink Baotic has a deliciously fruity taste with a unique sherbet kick!
About The Company
We are a multi-award winning business start-up based in Scotland. Hippo & Hedgehog Ltd represents our multicultural background and was established to tailor African ingredients to the UK taste bud.
Our story began in 2008 when Paul went to live with Isatou and her family in rural Gambia with Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO). Isatou and her family produced and sold Baobab drinks for the local market, and we have dreamt to bring them to the UK/EU stores. And here we are!
Since 2008 we have supported vulnerable but entrepreneurial female co-operatives to help improve income health and nutrition. Now we are launching Baotic, with the aim to be a more sustainable vehicle to lead on such projects. We currently commit a minimum of 10% profit, we’d like that to be more depending on how we grow. Watch out for more initiatives in this space!
Why are we crowdfunding We have had great feedback from customers on our new packaging and branding, it keeps our products fresher, cleaner and more convenient for busy customers. However, we need your help to package our new flavoured range (orange, strawberry and banana), build retail channels to help reach more people, and get their taste buds tingling and their guts flourishing!
As a nation we need more Fibre
Did you know, as a nation we consume less than 50% the daily recommended NHS Fibre guidelines, contributing to poor digestive health, cardiovascular disease, weight gain, type two diabetes and poor mental health, costing billions of pounds to our economy. Fibre is one of the main missing ingredients in our modern diets.
We know gut conversations can be uncomfortable and unsexy!
One of our research partners Professor Doreen McClurg at Glasgow Caledonian University life sciences calls this ‘the elephant in the room’ as patients and clinicians are both reluctant to talk about the symptoms. It costs £145 million in GP consultations every year with a whooping 101million cost of laxatives. So we have started a campaign to say lets #getgutsy! Lets not be 'shy', and encourage these conversations because as well as our physical health these issues also impact our mental well-being.
So join our campaign and website wall of fame by voting for us, and pledging your support to our crowdfunder.
“Let’s turn an ugly subject into a healthy one! “
Grow Your Own Baobab Bonsai Kit
Childern's Animated Book: Draft Exampler
Thank you so much to all the supporters. Stay healthy, happy and helpful! Isatou and Paul