26 - 27 August 2025. Field visit Forgotten Foods Consortium, supported by the Global Forum on Agricultural Research and Innovation (GFAiR). 

This coincided with the 23rd International Congress of Nutrition 24-29 August 2025 (Paris).

This field visit follows a previous field visit and survey in London 26 - 30 April 2025.

Largest African diaspora in Europe

France is home to the largest African diaspora in Europe, estimated at 4–5 million people of African origin, depending on how origin is defined (foreign-born vs. second and third generation). Roughly 3.3 million people of North African origin (Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia) live in France, reflecting historical ties from colonization and post-war labor migration. In addition, about 1.5–2 million people of sub-Saharan African origin (notably from Mali, Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, and Cameroon) are part of the French population. These figures make up nearly 8–10% of the French population, concentrated mainly in urban areas such as Île-de-France (Paris region), which alone hosts around one-third of the diaspora. Demographically, the diaspora is younger than the French average, with a significant share under 30, due to both migration patterns and higher birth rates.

Afro Caribbean Physical Markets and Shops in Paris 

Some of the most important Afro-Caribbean and African physical markets and shops in Paris,
known for their vibrant communities, foodstuffs, and cultural goods—particularly concentrated in the Château-Rouge / Goutte d’Or neighborhood:

• Marché Dejean (Château‑Rouge street market) - A sprawling open‑air market on Rue Dejean in Château‑Rouge (18th arrondissement), offering produce, spices, herbs, wax fabrics and ingredients from West and Central Africa. 

• Marché d’Aligre (Place d’Aligre, Paris) - Historic covered + street market that includes vendors selling fruits, vegetables, spices—often visited by diverse communities including
  Africans for particular ingredients

• Afro‑Caribbean Market (pop‑up in Le Marais) - A periodic pop‑up market (e.g. May 2025) in Le Marais featuring 30+ exhibitors of fashion, beauty, décor, gastronomy and Afro‑Caribbean cultural products. 

• BAO – Afro‑Créole Supermarket (Bobigny) - An Afro‑Créole supermarket in the Paris suburb of Bobigny, serving Caribbean and African
  groceries. 

• African Kitchen Shop (Nigerian food shop) - A shop (and eat‑in outlet) in Paris serving Afro‑Nigerian dishes and West African groceries.

Afro Caribbean Physical Markets and Shops in other French cities

• St‑Antoine Market (Lyon) - Lyon’s major outdoor food market along the Saône; among its many offerings are North African ready‑to‑eat foods, grains, spices, olives and specialty imported items. 

• Halles de Lyon Paul Bocuse (Lyon) - Iconic covered gourmet food market with many vendors selling a wide range—including regional and imported speciality foods that may include African‑style ingredients.
   

France-based online stores specializing in African groceries

• Africomfort Foods - Offers over 100 authentic Nigerian and African groceries—such as pounded yam, palm oil, gari, egusi, and indomie—delivered across France and Europe. They provide free delivery within Paris & Île-de-France (with a minimal fee for some areas), and flexible payment options including Pay-on-delivery. 

• Ingrédient d’Afrique - A family-run store in Brittany that sells health-focused African ingredients—juices (baobab, hibiscus, tamarin), cereals (fonio, cassava flour), herbal teas, dried fruits, spices, and butters. All products support fair trade and are made without chemicals, directly
  benefiting women producers in Guinea.

• Saveurs d’AFRIK - Markets a wide range of popular African food items including cassava sticks, dried shrimps, ndolé packs, palm oil, spices, and confectionery. They offer fast delivery across France, with promotions like 10 % off on first orders. 

• Grand Afrika Épicerie (online presence) - Based in Paris (19th arrondissement), this shop is known for high-quality fresh produce like mangoes and a wide selection of African groceries. Although primarily a physical store, they maintain an online presence that may include product listings and store details.

Main commodities

In French markets that specialize in African food, the main commodities typically included:

• Fresh produce: plantains, okra, cassava (manioc), yam, sweet potatoes, taro, bitterleaf, hibiscus leaves (bissap), and chilies.

• Staple dry goods: gari, attiéké (fermented cassava couscous), fonio, millet, sorghum, rice varieties, dried maize, and beans.

• Oils & condiments: red palm oil, groundnut oil, shea butter, dried crayfish, bouillon cubes, fermented locust beans (iru/ogiri), and spice blends (suya, yassa, mafé).

• Proteins: smoked or dried fish (tilapia, mackerel), stockfish, goat meat, frozen chicken parts, and beef offal.

• Beverages & treats: hibiscus (bissap) drinks, tamarind juice, ginger beer, African beers and spirits, chin-chin, coconut candies, and groundnut snacks.

   

• Cultural essentials: cooking bananas, maize flour, maize meal (fufu, ugali, pap), and specialty sauces or pastes tied to West African and Caribbean cuisines.

What does this represent in term of income and international trade?

African food markets and grocery stores in France are more than cultural spaces: they represent a significant flow of income and trade linked to the African diaspora and to Europe’s food import sector.

• Market size & income: The African diaspora in France (about 4–5 million people) spends substantially on imported foods. Estimates suggest the ethnic food market in France is worth €4–5 billion annually, with African and Caribbean products making up a fast-growing share. Much of this income flows through neighborhood markets (like Château-Rouge in Paris), specialty supermarkets, and increasingly online African grocery platforms.

• International trade: France imports large volumes of African foodstuffs each year. Key imports include tropical products (plantains, yam, cassava, okra, hibiscus, dried fish, palm oil, fonio, millet, coffee, cocoa, and spices). For example, West Africa (Ivory Coast, Ghana, Senegal, Nigeria) is a main supplier of cassava derivatives (attiéké, gari) and fonio. North African countries also supply semolina, olives, and preserved goods for diaspora consumption. These flows are part of South–North trade chains that link smallholder farmers and processors in
  Africa directly with European diaspora markets.

• Broader significance: Beyond the diaspora, African commodities have entered mainstream French retail chains (Carrefour, Auchan, Casino now stock attiéké, plantains, bissap, etc.), widening their consumer base. This trade strengthens economic ties with Africa, supports African SMEs and farmer cooperatives, and generates export revenues while also creating jobs in France through logistics, distribution, and retail.

   

Related: Women Creatives: Your Art, Your Voice, Our Food Future!

The Collective Action on Forgotten Food is calling on women artists, designers, illustrators and storytellers, to use their creativity to reimagine the power of forgotten foods.

 Your Mission: Design a graphic image that represents the collective spirit of forgotten foods – celebrating women’s knowledge, heritage, resilience and creativity in shaping food systems and
cultures.

 Why Women? Women carry recipes, seeds and stories across generations. Your art can give voice to these hidden treasures and inspire a global movement for food, culture and climate resilience.

 Prizes for the Top 3 Women Creatives:
- A 1-year subscription to top creative platforms
- Spotlight features across our platforms, events, and exhibitions
- A Forgotten Food Package curated with women food producers
- Creative mentorship & networking with leaders in art and food
- Recognition as a Creative Woman Ambassador for the Collective Action on Forgotten Food

 Deadline: September 30th, 2025

 Submit your entry via email - thefoodbridge@gmail.com

 Let your art tell the story of women, food and the future. Together, we can ensure that no food and no woman’s voice is forgotten.

Upcoming events:

13 October 2025. EUDiF Future Forum - The Future Forum is the European Union’s flagship conference on diaspora engagement and will showcase diaspora-led development stories and practices https://www.demac.org/events/eudif-future-forum https://www.demac.org/events/eudif-future-forum

22 October 2025. AEIP annual event: Bridging Continents through Innovation: Africa-Europe Innovation Dialogues

• this event brings across African and European stakeholders from across the innovation value chains to foster connection and dialogue. 

23 October 2025. Brussels and online. The Innovation Fair: Enabling that step forward 

• the Innovation Fair aims to showcase the vibrancy of the cooperation among European, African and Mediterranean innovation ecosystems, promoting innovative solutions with potential for market and societal uptake, vis-à-vis potential public and private funders and fostering networking, matchmaking and collaborations.

24-25 October 2025. 9th African Diaspora Agrofood Forum 

• The 9th African Diaspora Agrofood Forum (#ADAF25) will focus on women entrepreneurship in the diaspora. it will serve as an important platform for stakeholders to exchange insights, share the latest trends, and foster beneficial partnerships for growth, for women within the agrofood sector.
• Female entrepreneurs face unique barriers that significantly influence their roles and opportunities in the agrofood industry. Addressing these challenges is essential to unlocking their full potential and ensuring sustainable development.
• There is also a pressing need to bring the achievements and challenges of female entrepreneurs to the attention of policymakers; to influence the creation of favorable policies that recognize the diversity of women entrepreneurs while supporting and promoting female entrepreneurship.