TOOKE Products Enter North Kivu Market Under New Deal

What the report says

Uganda’s banana-based TOOKE products are set to enter North Kivu in the Democratic Republic of Congo after the Presidential Initiative on Banana Industrial Development/Banana Industrial Research and Development Centre (PIBID/BIRDC) signed a memorandum of understanding with the provincial government, according to Nile Post. The agreement is intended to create distribution and franchise networks for the products, beginning with raw and instant TOOKE flour.

The deal was signed by PIBID/BIRDC Director General Rev. Prof. Florence Isabirye Muranga and North Kivu Military Governor Maj. Gen. Evariste Somo Kakule. Under the plan, distribution hubs will be established across the province before franchise operations are introduced, giving the Ugandan producer a foothold in a new regional market.

PIBID/BIRDC said the expansion could create opportunities for distributors, entrepreneurs and future franchise operators, while also promoting value-added products made from Uganda’s highland green bananas. The organization said the products may appeal to consumers seeking gluten-free and sustainably produced foods. In comments reported by Nile Post, Muranga said the partnership is meant to support long-term trade ties, entrepreneurship and regional cooperation.

The signing also comes amid broader efforts to improve cross-border links between Uganda and the DRC, including road connectivity that local officials say could ease movement of goods and expand commercial activity. More broadly, the agreement reflects a push to turn agricultural research and processing into export opportunities for Ugandan products.