New Orleans welcomes America’s first shipment of TanzaNutz
14th November 2022 · 0 Comments
By Candace J Semien
Contributing Writer
When shipment containers covered in images of beautiful Safari animals arrived at Congo Square Nov. 6, this historical moment brought with it a restored connection between Africa and all of America.
Eight tons of TanzaNutz traveled 8,791 miles to the United States as the first cashew nuts grown, harvested, and consumer packaged in Tanzania to be exported directly from the farmers in Tanzania to America—and they debuted at the historic Congo Square in New Orleans’s Louis Armstrong Park as part of the city’s first TanzaFest.
“It has been an amazing journey,” said Lloyd Ward, founder of Ward Holdings International LLC.
The symbolism of this historic arrival cannot be missed said Tony Brown, a founding investor and vice president of global marketing and big events. “Millions of slaves were brought into the Port of New Orleans. We are coming full circle where our ancestors arrived in chains and now, on their shoulders, we bring TanzaNutz, the best-tasting cashews in the world, to the great city of New Orleans via economic freedom.”
Historical Beginnings
What has gotten TanzaNutz here?
Simply put — expertise.
Ward and co-founder Martin Johnson are specialists in economic development, transformation, finance, housing, and industrialization. They are also pioneers in their industries.
Ward was the first Black CEO of a Fortune 500 Company in the USA, a previous president of FritoLay, as well as an executive leader at PepsiCo and Procter & Gamble. Johnson was the first Black city president of Regions Bank in Alexandria, Louisiana.
Johnson said, “We entered Tanzania highly experienced with the highest level of talent. We didn’t come in searching (for opportunity and sustainability) we came in knowing. Our brothers and sisters have been waiting on us.”
They took a deep dive into cashews and developed a process called integrated market-driven industrialization.
The mission of TanzaNutz is to create sustainable prosperity in Tanzania and to deliver the best cashew nuts in the world. This partnership opens opportunities for African processors, farmers, and families; therefore allowing Tanzanians to take full advantage of the growing demand for organic products. The dynamics of cashew processing, manufacturing, and industrialization are as great as the opportunities.
In fact, according to IMARC reports, the global cashew market size reached $6.76 billion in 2021.
Throughout Ward’s five decades of leading global corporations, he has seen the industrial transformation of America and China. He said the dawn of industrialization in Tanzania has begun.
“We are re-engineering the global supply chain to go directly from Africa to the U.S.A. and the rest of the world,” said Ward.
With this partnership with Ward Holdings, Godfrey Simbeye, president of Ward Holdings Tanzania, told to The (Tanzanian) Citizen, “Tanzania is experiencing one of the greatest economic breakthroughs in agricultural development since independence in 1961.”
“This is Kingdom assignment,” said Ward. “It’s time for a new day and a new way in Africa.”
Promise Of A Country
The cities of New Orleans and Dar es Salaam have established a sister-city relationship where New Orleans will be the first major market to launch the TanzaNutz brand and cargo containers carrying TanzaNutz will enter America monthly through the port of New Orleans from Dar es Salaam. Then, TanzaNutz will be delivered to subscribers at home and shelved at stores nationwide.
Ward Holdings expects to establish more than a million jobs in Tanzania and hundreds in New Orleans.
“Take a new look at Africa, invest, and become members of our community on this amazing journey to realize the promise of a country and a continent,” said Ward. To do so, visit www.TanzaNutz.com. The company will go public on the Dar es Salaam Stock Exchange in 2023 and currently offers pre-IPO investments for private investors.
“This moment is to be celebrated,” said Ward. “The world needs Africa and doesn’t realize it – yet!”
This article originally published in the November 14, 2022 print edition of The Louisiana Weekly newspaper.
