Although the importance of non-timber forest products (NTFPs) is increasingly recognised across the globe, their potential is not yet fully realised. Their often valuable nutritional composition and discovery of new possible applications offer further opportunities for innovation and rural development. Yet only few NTFPs manage the jump from traditional, informal use to global markets. Therefore, this paper assesses how baobab (Adansonia digitata L) fruit products overcame the challenges faced by most NTFPs in gaining access to such markets, discussing factors contributing to its emergence and how sustainability aspects were addressed. Complex interactions of a variety of actors and institutions in the global South and the global North, encompassing both the production as well as the consumption side, were necessary for these developments. Triggered by the rising demand for natural, healthy foods and growing knowledge and appreciation for indigenous products, increasing numbers of entrepreneurs and development organisations entered the scene. Poor climates for innovation and enterprise development in the producer countries were overcome by developing the sector bottom-up using external support inducing a variety of innovations including supply chain modifications in order to comply with the high quality standards demanded. With baobab previously unknown to Western consumers new markets were formed due to the combined efforts by a variety of both private and public stakeholders and demand for baobab fruit powder rose to several hundred tons per year after the acceptance as novel food in European and US markets. Numerous products are now available predominantly in niche, early adopter markets focusing on healthy or organic foods. However, further support of the sector is necessary to ensure sustainable commercialisation of baobab resources. With the developmental impact being higher the more ethically, sustainably sourced baobab is sold, activities focusing on increasing demand and raising awareness on the consumer side may well have a higher impact than direct efforts aimed towards the production systems.

尽管全球范围内越来越多地认识到非木材林产品 (NTFP) 的重要性，但其潜力尚未完全发挥。它们通常很有价值的营养成分和新的可能应用的发现为创新和农村发展提供了进一步的机会。然而，只有少数 NTFP 管理着从传统、非正式用途到全球市场的跳跃。因此，本文评估猴面包树 ( Adansonia digitataL) 水果产品克服了大多数 NTFP 在进入此类市场时面临的挑战，讨论了促成其出现的因素以及如何解决可持续性方面的问题。全球南方和全球北方的各种参与者和机构之间的复杂互动，包括生产方和消费方，对于这些发展是必要的。由于对天然健康食品的需求不断增加以及对本土产品的了解和欣赏不断增加，越来越多的企业家和发展组织进入了现场。生产国创新和企业发展的不良气候通过利用外部支持自下而上发展该部门而得到克服，这些支持引发了各种创新，包括修改供应链，以符合所需的高质量标准。由于猴面包树以前不为西方消费者所知，新的市场在各种私人和公共利益相关者的共同努力下形成，猴面包树果粉被欧美市场接受为新食品后，每年的需求量增加到数百吨。许多产品现在主要在专注于健康或有机食品的利基、早期采用者市场中提供。然而，该部门的进一步支持对于确保猴面包树资源的可持续商业化是必要的。