A Journey of Flavor and Heritage

N/UM: Redefining African Gastronomy through Heritage and Innovation

In a world where authenticity and cultural representation are increasingly valued, N/UM stands out as a beacon of genuine African heritage and gastronomic innovation. Born from the ambitious dream of its founders, Chef Kudzai Bingepinge and Awa Koné, N/UM is not just a brand; it is a celebration of African cultures, a redefinition of narratives, and a journey back to the continent’s rich and diverse roots.

N/UM’s name is steeped in cultural significance, tracing its origins back to the Khoisan people, embodying the potent healing energy intrinsic to African traditions. This connection is not just symbolic; it is tangible in the products offered by the brand. Sourcing salts from the Makgadikgadi region, home to San communities and believed to be the cradle of humanity’s migration, N/UM creates a bridge between the past and the present,
inviting individuals to “Taste Your Origins” and reconnect with a shared ancestral heritage.

The salts, remnants of the prehistoric Makgadikgadi lake, serve as a metaphorical vessel, transporting users back to a common departure point in humanity’s journey, facilitating a profoundly transformative connection to the land and its stories.

At the helm of this venture are Kudzai Bingepinge and Awa Koné. Together they are redefining the narrative of African cuisine and ingredients, bringing them to the global state with passion, expertise, and profound respect for the heritage they represent.

Awa Koné, originally from Côte d’Ivoire, brings a different perspective to the table. A seasoned financial services professional by day, she blends her financial acumen with a fervent passion for food and storytelling, passionately exploring the intricacies of food and its deep connection to our souls. Awa’s journey has taken her across three continents, offering her a global perspective yet reinforcing her belief that there is no place like Africa, and she is committed to sharing the incredible stories of Africa, its people, culture and cuisine.

Together, these founders have embarked on a journey to redefine Africa’s image through its gastronomy, creating a brand that is poised to become the premier African food and beverage brand in Africa, North America, and Europe.

After two years of meticulous research and flavor experimentation, N/UM is now ready to share its story and products with the world. Hand-harvested and packed with history, N/UM’s salts are an exquisite addition to any pantry, promising to elevate meals and drinks with a taste of Africa’s rich heritage.

In essence, N/UM is more than a brand; it is a movement, a call to celebrate our common origins, and an invitation to experience the vibrant flavors and healing energy of Africa. Join N/UM on this flavorful journey and reconnect with a heritage that belongs to us all.

Chef Kudzai Bingepinge graciously took a few minutes to sit down and answer a few questions from Basil & Salt Magazine.

What inspired the creation of N/UM, and how does the brand aim to celebrate and redefine African cultures?

N/UM is a love story to Africa. We both left Africa in pursuit of educational and economic opportunities overseas but were invariably drawn back to The Continent through our work, where we met. The seed that invariably blossomed into N/UM was borne from several dining experiences we had in Zurich. As we explored various opportunities we were constantly drawn back to food, African food and taking it a step further, premium African
ingredients that could contribute meaningfully to the global gastronomic conversation. We want our brand to represent just that, quality African food products you can trust to have been sourced sustainably, honoring the land and people that have been nourished by these ingredients for generations.

Can you delve deeper into the meaning behind the name N/UM and its significance to the brand’s identity?

The Khoisan word “n/um” comes from the Ju/’hoansi (often known as !Kung) San people, and it refers to a potent spiritual energy believed to reside within all living things. “N/um” is traditionally understood to be a healing force and is central to the healing dances and rituals practiced by the San.

During these healing dances, which can last for many hours, participants channel “n/um” to heal individuals and the community, bringing about social cohesion and well-being. The slashes and exclamation points in these words represent click sounds, which are characteristic of the Khoisan languages.

The concept of “n/um” is deeply interwoven with the San’s understanding of the world and their beliefs, reflecting a connection with nature, the community, and the cosmos.

How does sourcing salts from the Makgadikgadi region and the San communities contribute to N/UM’s mission?

We source our salts from various sites. Makgadikgadi is represented in two offerings we have (Kgalagadi Ancient Salt and African Beechwood Smoked Salt). The others are sourced on the on the South Atlantic Ocean coast (Our
Flakes and Fleur de Sel) and a UNESCO world heritage site (Baleni Geothermal Hotspring). These make up our initial offerings from Southern Africa which we have called the “Zambezi Series” and “Sacred Soutini Salt”. There are many salt sources across the continent, each offering something very unique.

Our mission is to take our “Flavour Friends” around the world on an expedition of sorts, exploring the continent through the stories we tell of the places we visit, the dishes we come up with and of course the people. These expeditions have been transformative for us and in sharing these experiences with those that get their hands on
N/UM, we have no doubt that they will discover something interesting about themselves and of Africa, of course.

Can you explain the concept of “Taste Your Origins” and how it relates to N/UM’s products?

Great question! Makgadikgadi is the name of a pre-historic lake about the same size as Switzerland, that existed many millennia ago where the Kgalagadi (Kalahari) Desert now exists. At its peak its basin extended into parts of what are today Namibia and Zambia, possibly even touching Zimbabwe. In time through climate change, the lake disappeared, leaving behind some of the largest salt pans in the world.

The Makgadikgadi area has been suggested as a potential ancestral homeland for modern humans (Homo sapiens) with the research indicating that the area would have been lush and hospitable tens of thousands of years ago, supporting a large population of early humans. Our humanity’s ancestors are said to have lived in this region
before starting to disperse throughout Africa and beyond some 60,000 to 80,000 years ago.

So, when we say, “Taste Your Origins”, it really is an invitation for all of humanity to recognize that if we all go back far enough, we have a lot in common. From a sense of place to our collective pioneering spirit that took us from the shores of this now long-gone lake. Our salt from this deeply relevant place contains within it echoes of memories past. For all of us.

How do N/UM’s salts serve as a bridge between the past and present for those who use them?

Please see above for more, but I will also say that they serve a bridge in the age of some of sources (the Fleur de Sel and Flakes are drawn from an underground lake thought to be about 500 years old) or through the preservation of the traditional extraction processes which have been passed down for millennia (Sacred Soutini Salt).

Can you discuss the research and development process that went into creating N/UM’s roducts?

Our R&D process is focused on the finding products that meet the following criteria:

• Are sustainably sourced i.e. We have no interest in heavily commercialized ingredients.
• There’s meaningful history about the region, people, and ingredient(s) that we are considering.
• Will it add a new dimension of flavor to the gastronomic conversation that is decidedly African?
• Will including the ingredient have a positive impact on the region and the palate diversity of those that will experience it?
• What methods for assessing and maintaining quality do we need to contemplate?
• What are the logistical/supply chain challenges we need to overcome to introduce the product without compromising the integrity of our sustainable sourcing vision?
• Can we evolve the product to integrate complimentary ingredients e.g., Smoking the salt or creating blends incorporating indigenous African herbs e.g., Snowbush or Buchu?

Our process involves deep research into all these aspects, meaning that we have developed a library of ingredients and accompanying research which in time will allow us to introduce these products at the scale and quality that our brand is associated with in collaboration with the custodians of these ingredients. That may mean that we will have a number of small batch offerings due to seasonality, such as our Sacred Soutini Special Edition.

What challenges did you face during the two years of research and flavor lab work, and how were they overcome?

Our biggest challenge surprisingly was getting the pieces together. Africa, to a large degree, is still very fragmented when it comes to the free movement of goods. While our local community engagement efforts paid dividends to ensure we had supplies ready to support his important journey, getting the necessary infrastructure in place to
enable an efficient movement or our ingredients from one point to our facility in Cape Town, South Africa was nothing short of character building. We are pleased that overcoming this challenge has allowed us to foster relationships and insights, clearly positioning us to achieve our vision of becoming the premier African food and beverage brand.

What do you envision for the future of N/UM, and what impact do you hope to have on perceptions of African cuisine?

N/UM is a brand founded on audacity. N/UM will be a brand that will come to be associated with quality you can trust (both on the supplier and customer side). With this achieved, it is our vision to integrate more products under the N/UM brand. From Salts to Teas, Coffees to Chocolates, Wines, and Spirits. We also want this to be a collective
effort founded and powered by the philosophy of uBuntu – I am because you are.

In essence, Ubuntu is about the interconnectedness of all people, stressing the importance of community, relationships, and mutual support. It suggests that everyone has a universal bond of sharing that connects all humanity. According to Ubuntu, a person is a person through other people, and this emphasizes the community over the individual without disregarding the importance of individuality.

The principle of Ubuntu is also about compassion, respect, and dignity, not only for others but also for oneself. It encourages the community to work for the common good and to support one another, ensuring everyone’s needs are met and that there is harmony within the group.

When you consider this, the brand name logo and our mission are clear. If we get our part right, then more African ingredients will become readily accessible for the world’s culinary creatives to explore meaningfully. On the perception of African Cuisine? We believe that will take care of itself is we do our job well.

Can you share any customer feedback or success stories since the launch of N/UM’s products?

A serious nod to ancestral wisdom and cultural heritage. Thank you for reminding me to love my continent with obsessive curiosity.

Chef Mutisya

Success Stories
Our Zambezi Series offering is currently gaining quite some traction with the hospitality industry closely linked with the Zambezi River and the Victoria Falls as a relevant gift for tourists visiting from the Americas, Europe and surrounding African region.

North American Cocktail Bars: N/UM Smoked Salts have been included in the winter cocktail menu at one of the top cocktail bars in Toronto.

In what ways can consumers incorporate N/UM’s salts into their meals and drinks to fully experience the flavors and stories they carry?

Great question. Please see our flavor wheel here.

As N/UM continues to evolve and expand its influence, what new types of content and resources can your global clients expect to see?

There’s quite a bit in the pipeline but in the most immediate future, we are considering creating a coffee table book of our travel and ingredient sourcing adventures. This would be complemented by the stories that our email newsletter subscribers receive weekly. These aren’t product marketing stories but rather, celebratory stories of truly
remarkable African’s that have contributed to the human story. From politics to art, science, and history. These figures are people we draw inspiration from and whom, if we could, we would be honored to have over for a nice N/UM dinner. We’ve been humbled by the feedback we get from readers who are beginning to experience Africa in a profoundly inspirational way… We call this “Food for Thought”. Who knows, maybe one day some of these stories will be told in schools and as bedtime stories. We have no control over that, only that we do our best to tell the story.

How do you plan to further educate and inspire your global clientele about the unique qualities and uses of N/UM’s products?

Certainly, through our Social Media platforms but also through curated salt pairing and tasting experiences. In the meantime, anyone is welcome to reach out to directly for any ideas they may want to bounce off us. We’d be more than happy to help folks taste their origins.

In what ways is N/UM working to innovate and diversify its offerings to better cater to the diverse needs and preferences of your clients worldwide?

Great question! We are working on this but It’s still a bit premature to say. How about we connect in a year or so over another dish?

You will find Chef Kudzai Bingepinge’s ‘Spatchcocked Roasted Chicken with Rooibos-Tangerine Glaze and African Beechwood Smoked Salt’ recipe both here and below.

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