The Valencian Innovation Agency has selected the CHUBA project, submitted by Tigernuts, as a beneficiary of its grant program. For Tigernuts, this support is an opportunity to demonstrate its expertise in developing tiger-nut-based products, but above all, it is a chance to help in a very concrete way those who need it most.
What is the AVI?
The Valencian Innovation Agency (AVI) promotes, through its grant program “Consolidation of the Business Value Chain”, R&D projects capable of transforming products, processes, and organizational systems, generating a multiplier effect throughout the value chain. This program funds strategic initiatives such as:
- Development of new products
- Optimization of processes
- Implementation of advanced technologies
- Industrialization of R&D results
- Integration of strategic suppliers
Always with the priority of strengthening the competitiveness of the Valencian business ecosystem.
After years of work and planning, in 2025 we submitted the proposal for the CHUBA project.
Tiger nut cream as a “RUTF”
The core of the project is the development of a RUTF (Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food), a therapeutic food designed to treat severe acute malnutrition in children. It is presented as an energy-dense paste enriched with proteins, fats, vitamins, and essential minerals. This type of therapeutic food requires no preparation, water, or refrigeration; it is preserved in individual sachets for long periods and, most importantly, has proven to save millions of lives in humanitarian crises.
Traditionally, RUTFs are made with peanuts, but this ingredient has limitations: allergy risks, sustainability issues, and low cultural acceptability in some countries.
What does the CHUBA project consist of?
The CHUBA project proposes innovating in this type of product by replacing peanuts with Tigernuts Butt3r, creating a RUTF that is:
- Nutritionally balanced
- Sustainable and non-allergenic
- More culturally acceptable
With CHUBA, tiger nuts become a key ingredient for offering an innovative, safe, and sustainable alternative capable of improving the lives of thousands of children in contexts of severe malnutrition.