By Firmain Eric Mbadinga
The red, chalice-shaped flowers of the Roselle plant, a species native to West Africa, seem to hold within their thick-veined sepals a mystique that constantly yields new possibilities.
Much like the signature texture and tarty flavour of the leaves, the juice extracted from the flowers has a unique taste that is treasured in culinary cultures across the continent — from Guinea to Congo, Kenya, Gabon, and Senegal.
Inès Ngounga's journey into entrepreneurship began by exploring the potential of sorrel, or bissap, as a flavourful, all-weather beverage that lends itself to experimentation.
Red sorrel is the most common variant of this healthy and refreshing drink, but innovative Inès has added a white version to her range that she believes is a worthy cousin of the original.
The young woman, whose roots are in southern Gabon, believes sorrel can be turned into a commercial product with a worldwide clientele.
"I started by experimenting with flavours at home and serving the juice to guests. Before long, I was selling sorrel, or bukulu in the native Gabonese tongue, to my former colleagues at work," Inès tells TRT Afrika.
She launched her business in 2016 with an initial investment of 10,000 CFA franc (around US $16.45) after years of searching for a job befitting her master's degree in auditing and management.
For a venture that started without a single market study, it has grown rapidly since.
"Bukulu is bissap by another name. During an exhibition, a customer suggested that I pick the name 'Gabonise' bissap. I chose bukulu after several reflections, a name that means sorrel in Punu, the language of southern Gabon," explains Inès.
Health benefits
Rich in iodine, sorrel's popularity has grown beyond Africa. Jamaica and Mexico are among the biggest consumers outside the continent.
According to the Louis Bonduelle Foundation, whose focus is on sustainably influencing eating habits by providing everyone with the means of bringing vegetables into their diets, sorrel is a repository of mineral salts.
The foundation points out that sorrel is also a low-calorie drink, rich in vitamin B9, and a good pick-me-up for people recovering from illness.
The roselle plant, too, provides vitamin C, iron, magnesium, and potassium, which benefits the nervous system, muscular functions, and blood pressure management. The small green leaf and its flowers are also a valuable source of calcium.
Sorrel is among the foods the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation recommends.
Juicing technique
Inès decided to create a white variant of bukulu after reading an article on the topic. "It talked about white bukulu. I had only heard of red sorrel until then. I approached my supplier and asked if he had white roselle, and that was the start," she recounts.
Her company launched white bukulu in 2018, and the immediate response from customers was encouraging.
Sorting the flowers to pick only the freshest is a crucial part of the bukulu process. Once this is done, the flowers are washed and dried.
"The next step is to fill a large pot with potable water, based on the beverage volume one wants to make. The pot is placed over a fire with bukulu and mint, boiled for an hour and then left to rest," Inès tells TRT Afrika.
The aqueous solution is filtered and separated from the dried flowers using a white cloth as a sieve. The last two stages in the process are sugar seasoning and packaging.
The colour of sorrel, whether red or white, depends on the hue of the flowers at the time of picking.
Inès works hard daily to improve the quality of the juices she sells. "I started the business with plastic bottles, and it was only in the fifth year that I was able to have my bottles personalised, thanks to a supplier abroad," she recalls.
Inès range of sorrel now includes fruity or naturally spicy flavours ranging from ginger to watermelon, Cytherea apple to guava, and grapefruit to pineapple.
As its many identities prove — bissap in Senegal, foléré in Cameroon, da bilenni in Mali, Côte d'Ivoire and Burkina Faso, and boisson des pharaons in Egypt — sorrel is now a beverage for all seasons and geographies.
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