KENYA – Kenyan-listed food processing firm Unga Group PLC has initiated a three-year partnership with The University of Eldoret, with a primary focus on collaborative research and development in the domains of food and feed production.
According to the Joggo brand maker, the key objective of this collaboration is to promote local sustainable manufacturing and address local food needs, with a strong emphasis on utilizing locally sourced raw materials for feed production.
On its LinkedIn page where the Group made that announcement, the statement highlighted that this significant milestone was marked by a ceremony held at the Eldoret campus of the university, symbolizing the beginning of a new phase for both organizations.
The event was jointly overseen by Joseph M. Choge MBA, CPA (K), CPS (K), CIM, Unga’s Group Managing Director (GMD), and Professor Thomas Kimeli Cheruiyot, the University’s VC, along with Professor Phillip Raburu, DVC Planning, Research, and Extension.
Despite Unga group recording a KES 959.3 million (UD$6.6M) loss for the year that ended June 30, 2023, on the back of a depreciating shilling and foreign currency crunch, the listed firm has been making strides to revive its revenue through a raft of measures.
In September, the group announced its intention to collaborate with the Egyptian-Swiss group, as the maker of Jogoo maize meal strives to become a comprehensive player in the food industry.
According to Unga, the collaboration would shape its future endeavors in the food sector
The Egyptian Swiss Group is one of Egypt’s leading privately owned groups that comprises a number of fully integrated companies with a special focus on Milling, Pasta Manufacturing, and Concentrates.
Additionally, Unga Group has been undergoing a corporate revamp following an increasingly competitive milling sector in Kenya.
Recently the company re-launched its Amana range of consumer foods with the incorporation of premium sugar to the offerings in a bid to capture a larger share of the local packaged consumer staple foods market.
Speaking at the re-launch event at the firm’s manufacturing complex in Nairobi, Joseph Choge, the firm’s Managing Director stated that the company plans to tap into the growing demand for quality nutritious packaged staple foods including pulses, cereals, and related products in the local retail market.
