Maize-milling business gains momentum

Eric Chege

Maize-milling business gains momentum

After maize miller Eric Chege studied branding and marketing as part of the Cultivate Africa’s Future training program, he set his mind on what he wanted to do next: “I decided to take on the maize milling giants by focusing my brand on local customers.” The 28-yearold now runs a milling business with his younger brother Stephen Ngigi in the Kikopey area, along the busy Nairobi-Nakuru highway in Kenya’s Rift Valley.

“By sourcing maize from local farmers, who sell it to us at a low price due to availability, and supplying it to neighbouring shops and supermarkets, we are able to cut down on the cost of raw materials, maize and transportation, which ensures that we keep the price of the maize flour cheap,” Eric explains.

The company’s monthly earnings have grown from CAD$466 to CAD$1,165.

A lot has changed since Eric and Stephen took over the business from their father, who bought a maize milling machine after retiring from teaching at age 60. First, the brothers transformed the business into a milling factory, complete with new machines able to produce grade one maize flour. The machines remove husks, crush and grind before being packaged for sale in shops and retail stores.

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ERIC CHEGE | MAIZE-MILLING BUSINESS GAINS MOMENTUM

In January 2020, their first batch of packaged flour, branded as Shibah maize flour, was introduced to the market.

To learn new business skills, Eric applied to the training program organized by the Global Agribusiness Management and Entrepreneurship Center at the United States International University-Africa, with funding from Cultivate Africa’s Future Fund (CultiAF).

Today, the milling factory is a busy place and counts four additional workers. The business also caters to local customers who bring their own maize for milling. Next to the factory, a shop is filled with customers buying the Shibah maize flour brand displayed on the shelves.

While other brands cost on average CAD$2.33 per 2 kg packet, Shibah brand costs CAD$1.16.

Eric acknowledges that the business did not take a huge hit from COVID-19 because people still had to eat, but he says the scarcity of maize and high prices slowed down production. Equipped with the skills learned in the CultiAF training program, the company is exploring additional markets. For example, it plans to add dried pumpkin and pumpkin seeds (known to be rich in nutrients like iron and vitamin E) to the maize flour, which will be marketed to hospitals and schools.

PHOTOS: WREN MEDIA

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ERIC CHEGE | MAIZE-MILLING BUSINESS GAINS MOMENTUM