From Botswana to Berlin: Kamogelo Thumankwe's Mission to Bring Bambara Groundnut to European Consumers

Kamogelo Thumankwe, Founder and CEO of Tsarona, is working to introduce one of Africa's overlooked crops, Bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea), to the German and wider European food market. Originally from Botswana and now based in Berlin, she is developing a business model that connects African smallholder farmers, food processors and European consumers, while promoting the nutritional, environmental and commercial potential of indigenous African crops.

Bambara groundnut is a protein-rich, drought-tolerant legume traditionally cultivated and consumed across sub-Saharan Africa. Its ability to grow under relatively dry conditions and improve soil fertility through nitrogen fixation makes it particularly relevant to climate-resilient agriculture. Yet despite these advantages, Bambara remains largely unknown to European consumers and underrepresented in international food value chains.

Breaking into a market unfamiliar with African foods

One of Kamogelo's biggest challenges is introducing African food ingredients into a German market where their distribution, visibility and consumption remain relatively limited. While Italian, Chinese, Japanese and increasingly Korean cuisines have established extensive networks of restaurants, supermarkets, specialty shops and food brands, African foods have not achieved comparable mainstream recognition or distribution.

This creates a significant obstacle for entrepreneurs such as Kamogelo. Unlike familiar Asian or Mediterranean ingredients, Bambara groundnut requires substantial consumer education, product promotion and market development. German consumers may be unfamiliar with its taste, nutritional properties and culinary applications, while retailers and distributors may hesitate to introduce products without demonstrated consumer demand.

Tsarona is addressing this challenge by developing familiar food formats, including Bambara-based snacks, drinks and other convenient products. Rather than expecting European consumers to adopt traditional African recipes immediately, the company aims to incorporate African ingredients into everyday eating habits.

Processing and regulatory challenges

Beyond consumer acceptance, transforming Bambara groundnut from a traditional African crop into a commercially viable European food ingredient presents considerable technical and logistical challenges.

Bambara requires appropriate cleaning, dehulling, processing and quality control to produce consistent ingredients suitable for European food manufacturers. Developing reliable supply chains from Botswana involves coordinating production volumes, processing capacity, traceability, food safety requirements and transport logistics.

Although the European Union authorised certain uses of Bambara groundnut as a traditional food from a third country in 2024, regulatory compliance remains important, particularly when developing new processed ingredients and food applications. For a relatively unfamiliar crop, establishing the necessary processing infrastructure and commercial partnerships can be expensive and time-consuming.

Tsarona operates between Botswana and Germany, combining agricultural sourcing and farmer partnerships in Botswana with product development, regulatory compliance and commercial market access in Berlin. The company is also building relationships with Botswana's agricultural institutions, including the National Agricultural Research and Development Institute (NARDI).

Creating opportunities for African farmers and food entrepreneurs

Kamogelo's ambition extends beyond selling Bambara-based products. Her vision is to establish a commercially sustainable value chain that creates opportunities for African farmers and processors while diversifying Europe's food supply.

Her experience highlights a broader challenge facing African food entrepreneurs: the commercial success of neglected and underutilized crops depends not only on agricultural production and scientific research, but also on processing technologies, consumer awareness, market access and investment.