Kenchic

EXPLORING KENYA’S POTENTIAL FOR POULTRY

KENCHIC LTD

2 | Africa Outlook issue 82

AGRICULTURE

Feeding a Nation

An introduction to Kenchic, and how Kenya’s leading poultry enterprise is part of an industry with huge potential to transform the country’s agricultural fortunes Project Manager: Ben Weaver

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KENCHIC LTD

T

he world is, undeniably, rearing and eating more and more meat.

In 2011 almost 300 million tonnes of meat were produced, a figure which is estimated to rise to around 465 million tonnes by the time we reach the midpoint of this century.

And in the 40 years between 1977 and 2017, production tripled to 600 billion pounds, far outstripping population growth, which measured 81 percent during the same period.

Furthermore, approximately 70 billion domestic animals are raised for

KENCHIC – A BRIEF HISTORY Some key dates in Kenchic’s story to date include: 1983: Kenchic operations begin after it acquires assets from British American Tobacco 1995: Construction of Narresho breeder farm is completed, operations commence 1997: Construction of Kisaju breeder farm is completed, operations commence 2000: Purchase and installation of Bucki incubators at the Athi river hatchery 2010: Kisaju breeder farm converted into a broiler farm.

Relocation of Head Office to Exsan House, Nairobi 2013: Grand parent operations moved to Zambia 2016: Kenchic closes Kenchic Inns to concentrate on the core business of processed chicken and day-old chicks 2017: Launch of first Kenchic self-run butchery. Expansion of marinated product range 2018: Introduction of broiler chick vaccination for the Kenyan market

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food consumption purposes every year, a process which accounts for a quarter of all water use in agriculture.

Meat production is then, in short, a massive business and critical source of nutrition for populations the world over.

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), people in developing countries consume just over 70 pounds of meat annually; far less than the 176 pounds eaten by the average person in a developed nation.

Chicken is the second most popular meat consumed in the world, with 99.7 million tonnes consumed annually according to FAO figures (pork, the world’s most popular meat, stands at 121 million tonnes). In the USA, the average consumer eats some 43 kilos of poultry a year.

In Africa, poultry is an economical and vital source of protein for millions of people.

Take Kenya. Its huge agriculture sector accounts for around a quarter of the East African nation’s entire gross domestic product, and poultry in turn generates 30 percent of this revenue.

Chicken and eggs are staples of Kenyan diets, not least because of various health risks associated with red meat and restrictions on pork.

However, the sector has enormous potential to grow and develop. For example, most poultry production uses less productive breeds of hens, with other challenges including inadequate production information for smallholders, expensive feeds, unstructured markets for indigenous chicken, medication and low return on investment all barriers to growth.

INTRODUCING KENCHIC Efficient, structured and knowledgeable poultry enterprises are therefore critical to realising the full potential of the Kenyan industry, and this is where vastly experienced companies such as Kenchic come in.

Bimeda Bimeda Limited, headquartered in Nairobi, is one of the largest veterinary pharmaceutical manufacturers and distributors in Eastern and Central Africa, and is part of the wider Bimeda AMEA business which has a physical presence in Kenya, Zambia, Uganda, Tanzania and China, and an export division which serves the entire AMEA region.

Bimeda’s broad range includes products for cattle, sheep, pigs, poultry, camels, goats, horses and dogs. Our portfolio includes an array of product categories, such as acaricides, anthelmintics, antimicrobials, vaccines, hormones, nutritional products, bull semen, antiinflammatories, anti-East Coast Fever injections and more.

Bimeda Limited is a leading supplier of Kenchic Ltd in Kenya, Tanbreed in Tanzania and Hybrid Chic in Zambia.

We also distribute Phibro poultry vaccines.

Phibro Phibro plays a big role by contributing to a healthy, affordable food supply by helping farmers responsibly care for their animals.

With determination and integrity, we have grown into a global company.

Our commitment to excellence is demonstrated every day by members of our team. Our broad portfolio of products, backed by in-house manufacturing, innovative research and exceptional service, are the core of our partnerships with farmers and veterinarians. With a growing line of natural, sustainably produced products, we offer responsible solutions to help support the health of all animal species, including cattle, poultry, swine and aquaculture.

Our future is guided by the same commitment to integrity and hard work. Our beliefs and responsibilities are core to our daily operations.

PHIBRO VACCINES Proven Provenexpertise. expertise.

Proven Provenresults. results.

SalmAbic ® | V.H. | M.B. | V.H.+H-120 ®

®

HEALTHY ANIMALS. HEALTHY FOOD. HEALTHY WORLD.® HEALTHY ANIMALS. HEALTHY FOOD.

SalmAbic ® | V.H.® | M.B.® | V.H.+H-120

KENCHIC LTD

Hendrix Genetics Hendrix Genetics is a multi-species worldwide operating breeding company.

Poultry breeding is in the heart of the business. Next to breeding laying hens that are marketed under the brand names of ISA, Bovans, Dekalb, Shaver, Babcock and Hisex, Hendrix Genetics is also breeding traditional colored Broilers (SASSO) and turkeys (Hybrid).

‘THE SECOND STAGE OF THE FARM TO FORK PROCESS IS THE HATCHERY’

Besides investing in strong partnerships with local distributors, Hendrix Genetics is investing in breeding and distribution at the African continent via the SAPPSA project. The goal is to improve access to improved poultry breeds that are bred to perform under difficult circumstances in various climates.

A brighter life tomorrow, starts with better breeding today.

www.isa-poultry.com

Hy-Line Commencing operations in 1983, Kenchic Limited’s main activity started out as the production of broiler and layer day old chicks. Over the years, the company has expanded its remit to include processed chicken and further processed products, directly helping to supply consumers with a valued source of nutrition for their diets.

Today, Kenchic is the leading producer of poultry in East and Central Africa. Its head office is in Nairobi, with the integrated poultry operation specialising in day-old chicks, processed chicken meat, smoked sausages, choma sausages and more.

Central to its extensive operations is strict adherence to bird welfare and standards, its practices not only conforming to Kenyan levels but those of the European Union and World Health Organization – important international examples which could 6 | Africa Outlook issue 82

serve as a template for the wider Kenyan poultry industry.

Indeed, Kenchic states that every aspect of its activities aligns to what it refers to as Farm to Fork, a quality guarantee made to its customers up and down the value chain.

This occurs in three key stages, the first being at the breeder farm level. The company’s multiple farms are home to the parent stock birds that are reared in a highly bio-secure environment – they are provisioned with high quality feed, housing, litter, utilities and veterinary services from a dedicated team who adhere to the highest standards of animal husbandry.

The second stage of the Farm to Fork process is the hatchery. This is where the eggs of parent stock birds are taken (in a fully traceable system), incubated and hatched over the course of a three-week period.

Make more profit with the Hy-Line Brown, the world’s profit-leading brown egg layer gaining market share in Africa.

Learn about prolific egg numbers, feed efficiency, exceptional livability and superior egg color and quality from the world’s most balanced brown egg layer at www.hyline.com.

Hy-Line delivers accelerated genetic progress in birds for every market – every climate, every housing system, every country.

E info@hyline.com www.hyline.com

AGRICULTURE

A GLOBAL SUPERSTAR The ISA Brown is recognized all over the world for its proven performance. As a result, the ISA Brown is the market leader in Africa already for many years. Because of her exceptional productivity, her robustness and feed efficiency she has proven herself to be a profitable Brown egg layer, well suited for various environments.

• Proven worldwide • A reliable and economic winner • High production and great persistency • The efficient and robust brown egg layer • High livability

isa-poultry.com layinghens@hendrix-genetics.com

ACCELERATED genetic progress

W-80

Pink

Brown

W-36

Sonia

Silver Brown

Get more saleable eggs from balanced layers suited for every market.

Contact your local Hy-Line representative to learn which variety is best for you.

Hy-Line International Email: info@hyline.com | www.hyline.com

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KENCHIC LTD

VISION, MISSION AND VALUES Underpinning Kenchic’s company vision and mission are a set of values and principles which define its day to day operations.

VISION: “To provide our customers with their chicken of choice.”

MISSION: “To deliver ‘chicken of choice’ wherever we operate, exceeding our customers’ expectations through outstanding product quality and efficient service at all times. Kenchic is proud to be the largest integrated poultry operation in East and Central Africa. At Kenchic we place the highest priority of the birds we farm. Our farming practices conform not only to Kenyan standards but also to European Union and World Health Organisation requirements. Every aspect of our business is aligned to a programme we call Farm to Fork, which takes the principles of good animal husbandry to the next level.”

VALUES: Efficiency, teamwork, customer engagement, focus on quality, honouring promises, and taking responsibility are all hallmarks of Kenchic’s company culture. These values are summarised into a single abbreviation – PECKS: • People: “We work as one indivisible team. One people” • Efficiency: “We are focused on efficiency” • Customers: “We actively engage our customers” • Kaizen: “We live it. We breathe it” • Safety: “We never compromise on product quality, security, safety and service”

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Each site has a dedicated full-time veterinary doctor registered by the Kenya Veterinary Board (KVB) Once hatched, the day-old chicks are either reared for meat on Kenchic broiler farms or sold to broiler, layer and Kenbro farmers for subsistence and commercial farming. Importantly, these chicks are vaccinated against lethal viral diseases such as gumboro, infectious bronchitis and Newcastle disease before leaving the hatchery site and arriving at farms.

The third and final stage of the process occurs at a Kenchic Poultry Center, dedicated one-stop shop sites scattered around Kenya which serve as important industry hubs for supplies and farmer support.

As well as locales where farmers can acquire day-old chicks, Poultry Centers also supply a full range of feeds, disinfectants, and rearing equipment. Each site has a dedicated full-time veterinary doctor registered by the Kenya Veterinary Board (KVB) to provide free technical advice to farmers and chicken post mortems.

The centres – located in Nairobi, Mombasa, Mtwapa, Kisumu, Nakuru, Nyeri, Meru, Ruiru, Ikinu and Ruai – also host weekly training and quarterly seminars to ensure farmers remain informed on the latest best practices.

A RESPONSIBLE PARTNER Realising its important role as a contributor to national and regional economy, Kenchic also makes it its business to operate in an open and transparent manner.

This centres around several key ethical values and what the company terms “an ingrained respect for people and for the communities we serve”, both on a social and environmental footing.

There are several examples of these principles in action, best shown by its extensive corporate social responsibility initiatives, activities which are chosen to deliver sustainable benefit to society writ large and have varied from education and sport to charitable donations over the years.

As the company and industry continues to develop, this responsible and caring approach to society will only continue to define a Kenchic legacy that has already endured over almost three decades.

By sticking to its values and dedication to quality, the next chapter in Kenchic and the Kenyan poultry industry appear to be in very safe hands.

AGRICULTURE

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