What happened in the agriculture and food industry in Kenya, Africa and the world last week? This blog post will highlight the top and agribusiness news and headlines . In April week of 4th to 11th 2021 the following were four trending headlines from agriculture and business news.
- Eat’N’Go enters Kenya’s Market
- Contaminated chicken and pork products
- Indian textile makers target Kenya apparel market
- KTDA Elections
Eat’N’Go enters Kenya’s Pizza and Creamery Market
Eat’N’Go, Restaurant has entered the Kenya Market after acquiring the Domino Pizza and Cold Stone Creamery Franchise. This acquisition makes Eat’N’Go will become the largest Restaurant Group Master Franchisee in Africa. Their stores in Kenya and Nigeria stand at 147 after this buyout.
The Group CEO Patrick McMichael said the company has a vision to reach 180 stores across Africa by 2021. The CEO said that they will continue to bring satisfying, delectable yet affordable food offerings to every market in which they open stores.
“We are looking forward to making an impact on the Kenyan economy as we focus on offering the highest quality ice cream and pizza products in the market. As a business, our success has been pegged on providing unique and excellent customer experience at a favorable price point,” McMichael said. As the Star reports. Eat’N’Go, was launched in 2012 in Nigeria. The company employs over 3000 employees.
Contaminated chicken and pork products
A new study has warned that chicken and pork meat sold in local supermarkets is contaminated with bacteria and bugs. The report by the UK-based World Animal Protection says the bulk of the contaminated meat on sale is under the retailers’ own brands compared with cuts from suppliers
Some of the bacteria can be harmful to human health. some bacteria cause severe diarrhoea and a broad spectrum of abdominal complications that health experts warn are becoming difficult treat to due to increasing resistance to antibiotic drugs.
Out of a 187 pork samples, 98.4 per cent had bacterial growth. In 206 chicken samples, 96.6 percent exhibited bacterial growth. Samples used in the study were collected between April and May 2020 from the top six supermarkets in different counties in Kenya including Nairobi, Nakuru, Uasin Gishu, Kisumu, Nyeri and Laikipia.
The study also revealed that 60 per cent of the meat in supermarkets was found to have superbugs, brought about by high usage of antibiotics to treat animals. Dr. Yamo, Campaign Manager, at the World Animal Protection, noted that misuse of antibiotics in the food chain is impacting on public health.
Indian textile makers target Kenya apparel market
Indian textile makers are eyeing the Kenyan market for exportation of materials. The textile materials Indian firms are looking to export to Kenya include fabrics for clothes, carpets, rugs and towels.
The development comes after a three-day event the Reverse Buyer Seller Meet (RBSM) Wool and Woollen exhibition in New Delhi – India. It was convened from March 25 to 27 2021. The event brought together Kenya’s fashion designers and sourcing agents with India’s wool and Woollen products manufacturers and exporters.
This move is likely to create jobs, reduce the annual forex stockpile spent abroad to buy second-hand clothes and promote the manufacturing pillar under the “Big four” agenda.
KTDA Elections
Nyeri tea farmers held their tea director zones elections on 10th April 2021. The elections were held in four out of five factories in the region: Ragati, Gathuthi, Gitugi & Iriani. Chinga tea factory will conduct them later in the month after the small-scale tea farmers in the factory postponed them.
The elections were held under the new laws and reforms like the Tea Bill of 2018 which was assented by President Uhuru Kenyatta in December 2020. The tea regulations 2020 or reforms gazetted by Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Hon Peter Munya. This new development comes amidst eight pending court cases by the tea agency which is seeking to block implementation of Tea Act 2020. The current directors in tea growing regions have termed the ongoing elections as illegitimate and not backed by either Company Articles or Company Law
