Who loves banana flour? WEDO

By Kelsey Butler ’13 ’14
Published Tuesday, May 27, 2014

When people think of one for one companies, they usually think of TOMS shoes, but now there are a number of companies participating in one for one programs. One of these companies is WEDO, a company that produces gluten-free banana flour and was co-founded by one of Lynn University’s very own, David Wintzer.

The name WEDO, Women Entrepreneurs Development Organization, sounds a little odd without some background information. A few years back David traveled to Kenya to work for a non-profit distributing Micro-Loans, and WEDO was one of the groups he worked with. One of their businesses was a banana flour factory, inspired and funded by the Kenyan government. David brought the idea of banana flour home with him and entered a college business competition and did well enough to continue perusing the idea of the business. Though WEDO no longer uses the Kenyan women as suppliers, the women have inspired them to give back on their mission called “Buy One-Feed One.” For every container that is purchased they provide one meal to a child in need via, the World Food Program USA.

After running a campaign on Kickstarter, WEDO just placed their first ‘big’ order and now has the inventory to target large supermarket chains across the country to carry their product. Currently the product can be picked up in select Utah and California supermarkets and will be hitting the shelves in Colorado very soon. If you are like me and do not reside near one of these states, it can also be picked up online from their website or on Amazon.

WEDO banana flower is “literally, dried green bananas, peeled, sliced and ground up into flour.” The reason green bananas are used is because the sugar has yet to develop in them yet and it gives the flour a higher starch content. The banana flour is gluten-free and the only of its kind currently manufactured within the United States. With almost a full bananas worth of potassium per serving, ample vitamins, minerals, and resistant starch (RS2), it can be a great part of a balanced diet. 

WEDO gluten-free banana flour has more whole wheat, buckwheat flavor, rather than a banana flavor. Get your first carton today and try one of their recipes, David recommends the waffles!