In the world of global health and nutrition, a small French company called Nutriset has managed to achieve what seemed nearly impossible: making life-saving food more affordable while bolstering nutrition for millions across the globe. This is no small feat considering that severe acute malnutrition claims the lives of approximately 400,000 children under the age of five each year.
And yet, the solution—a therapeutic peanut butter paste called Plumpy’nut—has been around for nearly 30 years.
Nutriset, founded by Michel Lescanne, was instrumental in developing this ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF) in 1996. The innovation lies not just in the product itself—a vitamin and mineral-enriched paste that requires no refrigeration or preparation—but also in the company’s approach to production and distribution.
Initially priced at $60 for a life-saving box of 150 packets, Nutriset managed to slash this to $39 by 2019, making it more accessible than any competing product from nonprofits or other for-profit companies.
The journey, however, was not without controversy. Early on, Nutriset faced criticism from humanitarian organizations like Doctors Without Borders, who accused the company of using its patents to stifle competition and maintain high prices.
Yet, Nutriset’s unorthodox strategy of selectively opening its patents and partnering with local producers in low-income countries flipped the script. By 2012, Nutriset had shifted from being the dominant producer to empowering local franchisees in the Global South, helping to create over 1,000 jobs and strengthening supply chains in regions most affected by malnutrition.
This strategy of fostering local production not only democratized access to the life-saving packets but also ensured that UNICEF, the largest buyer of RUTF, could double its procurements from these Global South producers by 2022. Nutriset’s decision to focus on local franchisees instead of yielding to large multinational corporations was a calculated move to protect the nutritional autonomy of these regions and prevent the disruption of local diets by imported ultra-processed foods.
By skillfully navigating the complex interplay of patents, local partnerships, and global competition, Nutriset has set a precedent for how for-profit companies can contribute to economic development and public health. This approach was so successful that even its critics had to acknowledge that high costs were more a reflection of global ingredient prices than of Nutriset’s patent policies.
Recognition of these efforts came in the form of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office’s Patents for Humanity Award in 2015, a testament to the impact of Nutriset’s innovative strategy. Yet the fight against severe acute malnutrition is far from over.
With only 25% to 50% of affected children receiving treatment, largely due to insufficient funding, the role of government and donor support remains crucial. The U.S. Agency for International Development, which spent approximately $200 million in 2024 on RUTF, stands as a key player in this landscape, although its commitment remains uncertain amid political shifts.
The story of Nutriset is a powerful reminder that effective humanitarian solutions often require marrying the principles of social enterprise with bold, strategic innovation. As the world continues to grapple with the challenges of malnutrition and food security, it is companies like Nutriset that illuminate a path forward—one where collaboration, creativity, and commitment can indeed change the course of lives.
