Hill Group owner builds Tanzania’s first poultry processing plant

TANZANIA – Hill Group, a conglomerate firm involved with manufacturing and distribution of animal feeds has established Tanzania’s first poultry processing plant. 

Hill Group was founded by Hillary Shoo and it began as a modest agrovet shop in 2000 and has since grown significantly.

This new landmark facility, that is close to start operations,  aims to transform the chicken market and further industrialize the country’s poultry sector.

Shoo, known for his wide-ranging business ventures, began conceptualizing the plant in 2014. 

His vision was to create a state-of-the-art poultry processing facility that would integrate seamlessly with Hill Group’s existing operations. 

Shoo’s plans for the poultry processing plant gained traction when he partnered with Marel, a South African firm specializing in food processing technology. 

The collaboration between Hill Group and Marel was instrumental in bringing the plant to fruition. 

Shoo credits their success to his first encounter with Marel at the International Production and Processing Expo (IPPE) in Atlanta, the largest global exposition for poultry, feed, and meat technology.

“Marel stood out due to their exceptional communication and prompt responses,” said Shoo, who serves as the Founder, Managing Director, and Chairman of the Board of Directors at Hill Group. 

Marel provided a dedicated project manager to guide Shoo through every stage of the plant’s development, ensuring a smooth and efficient process.

The poultry processing plant’s establishment comes at a time when Tanzania’s poultry stock has seen fluctuations. 

In 2020, the chicken population slightly declined to nearly 38 million, down from 38.4 million the previous year. 

Despite this recent dip, the overall poultry stock has shown growth since 2010, when there were 33.5 million chickens in the country.

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