Bacary Diatta's immigration story is unique to him, and yet very familiar. With an established and successful career in his homeland of Senegal, Mr. Diatta needed to forge a new path after moving to Warren with his American wife, a professor of music at Roger Williams University. The result is a company and a product that skillfully blends the taste of Mr. Diatta's home and childhood and his former career, offers something new and unique to his adopted community, and materially supports development efforts back home.

Born in southern Senegal's Casamance region, Mr. Diatta grew up farming rice, wheat, corn, and peanuts. For more than a decade, he worked in the harvest, treatment, and sale of produce, including baobab fruit, studying in the meantime at the Institute of Agricultural Research of Senegal, and in 2007 participated in a program by an NGO which supported the production and sale of baobab fruit preserves to benefit Mr. Diatta's hometown. That experience led to continued collaboration with Senegalese government offices in programs that supported young entrepreneurs — and the realization that training locals to create agricultural products could create jobs and spur economic development.

When Mr. Diatta came to the U.S. in 2018, he knew he wanted to start a business. He was able to gain assistance creating a plan through local mentorship programs, and soon after his company Kassumay (meaning "peace" in the local Jola language) was born, producing and selling fruit spreads made with hibiscus flowers sourced from the Casamance region of Senegal.

Hibiscus fruit spreads are one of Mr. Diatta's favorite flavors from his childhood — they are a popular method of fruit preservation in a region of the world with limited refrigeration. Mr. Diatta recalls his mother's daily morning routine of picking the baobab fruit from the trees outside of the home he shared with 6 brothers and sisters. "She would choose each baobab carefully and in the early hours, before the day had begun, I would watch her boil the fruit and add just the right amount of sugar. She never had a need to measure the ingredients, because she somehow always knew."

"We've grown up eating this since we were kids; my mom said the minerals and vitamins would keep us from getting tired in school."

The Kassumay product line includes 3 varieties of Hibiscus Sabdariffa Superfood Fruit Spread (and a baobab product in development). His traditional recipe gains its rich color exclusively from the natural concentration of the hibiscus; the fruit has natural pectin that creates the right consistency without the need for extra ingredients. Two other varieties add habanero and strawberry for a variety of flavor profiles.

What's more, it's healthy — all natural, gluten-free, and vegan, it's packed with nutrients with anti-inflammatory properties and only 3 ingredients: hibiscus sabdariffa, cane sugar, and water. Hibiscus Sabdariffa is also said to have a beneficial effect of heart health, controlling blood pressure and cholesterol, obesity, diabetes, and aiding digestion. Mr. Diatta recommends trying Kassumay products on bagels, english muffins or crepes — anywhere you would use your favorite preserves.

Women play a central role in the unique culture of the Casamance region of Senegal, and this figures into his efforts to give back to the people and culture which inspired his company. According to Mr. Diatta, women in this region are powerful and respected leaders in their communities — they mediate problems, act as guardians of cultural practices, and support their families — particularly as a protracted conflict continues to displace people and impede economic development. Through Kassumay, Mr. Diatta is helping to empower women in these southern villages of Senegal by providing local employment and business opportunities as well as giving back 10 percent of his profits to help build schools and child care centers.

The Kassumay spreads are available on Amazon and in local retail outlets, including Clements, Hope & Main, Le Bec Sucre, Sweet Berry Farm, Harvest Market Newport, Green Grocer, Milk and Honey, and Lee's. Efforts to expand further are ongoing. To learn more about Kassumay and its products, please visit kassumayllc.com.