From Our Roots to Your Table
Kwanga made the traditional way by Jean-Pierre and Claudia, using methods passed down through generations. What started as an idea is now a growing food business serving families across Maine.
It’s Not Just Food. It’s Home.
Kwanga is a staple food in Congo and across Central Africa. It’s eaten daily, often paired with meat, beans, or leafy greens. For many of our customers, it brings them right back to the kitchen tables they grew up around. We chose to focus on kwanga first because it means something to us and the customers who love it.
A Shared Mission Rooted in Culture
Grand K Group began with a shared mission to bring safe, traditional Congolese food to our community here in Maine.
When Jean-Pierre met Claudia in 2021, he had long been thinking about how to scale African food production safely. Claudia had grown up making kwanga at home in Congo, learning from her mother and carrying on the tradition. Together, they saw an opportunity to create something meaningful — to preserve a cultural staple, prepare it the right way, and share it with others who missed the taste of home.
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Jean-Pierre
Jean-Pierre studied business and worked in supply and finance across Congo, Ghana, and now in Maine. His focus has always been on building something of his own that connects people through food, culture, and trust.
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Claudia
Claudia is the heart of the kitchen. She learned to make kwanga as a child and continues to prepare it today using the same traditional methods. Every batch carries the care and experience passed down through generations.
Our Commitment to Safety
In Maine, it’s common to find versions of kwanga that are unlabeled or prepared in ways that don’t meet safety standards. We knew we had to do better.
Every batch of our kwanga is fermented for seven days, tested in a certified lab, and prepared in a licensed commercial kitchen. We don’t use shortcuts, and we don’t add anything else. It’s just cassava, water, and the traditional method. No bathtub pounding. No mystery sources. Just safe, honest food.