Malnutrition Matters was founded in 2000 by Brian Harrigan and Frank Daller with a shared conviction: persistent undernutrition can be solved when communities are equipped with practical, affordable tools to produce nutritious food themselves. Hart Jansson joined the founding team in 2002.
What began as an innovation in soy-based food processing evolved into a global effort to expand access to climate-friendly, plant-based nutrition solutions. Over the past 25 years, Malnutrition Matters has enabled the production and consumption of more than 500 million plant-based food servings, trained over 10,000 entrepreneurs and students, and improved access to nutrient-dense foods for more than 300,000 consumers.
From the outset, Jansson and Daller pursued a different model — one that moved beyond food aid to focus on appropriate technology paired with training and viable enterprise systems. Their approach demonstrated that nutrition impact and economic opportunity can scale together. In aggregate, for every $1 donated, the model has enabled approximately 500 servings of nutritious food, while generating substantial economic returns for local entrepreneurs. For every $1 million invested, an estimated 40,000 direct and indirect person-years of employment have been created.
As the organization matured, its work expanded from equipment innovation into a broader systems approach — integrating enterprise development, institutional partnerships, and policy engagement to support sustained production and consistent consumption of nutrient-rich foods.
Reflecting on the organization’s legacy, co-founder Hart Jansson notes:
“Malnutrition Matters has enabled the production and consumption of more than 500 million plant-based food servings over the last 25 years. This legacy is a strong platform to build on. With strengthened leadership and deeper regional presence, we are positioned to continue scaling impact — advancing sustainability, empowering entrepreneurs, and contributing to global development goals.”
Frank Daller’s early leadership and commitment to practical, field-based solutions helped shape the organization’s emphasis on appropriate technology and hands-on capacity building — principles that continue to define its work today.
Today, Malnutrition Matters enters a new chapter. Leadership has transitioned to an Executive Director Based in Kenya, with half of the Board now residing in Africa — strengthening in-country leadership, cultural alignment, and long-term sustainability.
Guided by Vision 2030, the organization is building on this strong foundation to scale decentralized, plant-based nutrition systems capable of delivering millions of meals annually while strengthening livelihoods and resilient food ecosystems.