Farmer’s Choice seeks pork butchery partners through Pork Pawa initiative

KENYA – Farmer’s Choice Limited has opened applications for entrepreneurs and butchery operators interested in joining its Pork Pawa retail program, with the company setting the minimum working capital requirement at about US$387 (KES 50,000).

The processor said the initiative is aimed at expanding access to fresh and processed pork products in high-traffic locations across the country while widening its distribution network through partnerships with small businesses and independent retailers.

Under the arrangement, selected partners will receive pork products from the company’s supply chain, along with marketing support, operational training, and branding assistance linked to the Pork Pawa campaign, which trades under the slogan “Pork Safi, Life Safi.”

The company, which began operations in 1980 as a roadside meat outlet, has since expanded into one of East Africa’s largest pork processors with an annual output estimated at 21,000 tonnes covering fresh cuts, sausages, bacon, ham, smokies, and other processed meat products.

In addition, Farmer’s Choice has diversified beyond pork into beef, lamb, and poultry as consumer demand for packaged and processed protein products continues to rise in urban centres such as Nairobi.

Company figures indicate that the processor currently handles around 500 pigs per day.

However, it plans to increase throughput to about 1,000 pigs per day as consumption grows across domestic and export markets.

According to the company, around 80% of pigs slaughtered at its facilities are sourced from contracted independent farmers, while roughly 20% of processed output is shipped to regional and international destinations, including West Africa, South Africa, and the United Arab Emirates.

Kenya pork sector

Industry data shows Kenya produced approximately 40,055 tonnes of pork in 2023 from more than 840,000 pigs, generating over US$150.7 million (KES 19.5 billion) in revenue and contributing about 5% of the country’s agricultural gross domestic product.

At the farm level, a pig weighing about 90 kilograms currently sells for between US$216 and US$247 (KES 28,000 to KES 32,000), while producers estimate that one sow can generate gross annual earnings of nearly US$5,410 (KES 700,000) under commercial production systems.

Feed remains the largest expense for pig farmers, accounting for nearly 80% of production costs, even as producers increasingly adopt artificial insemination and selective breeding to improve litter sizes and growth performance.

Farmer’s Choice said interested applicants can submit their business details and preferred operating locations through the company’s customer service contacts as it continues recruiting retail partners in areas where pork demand is increasing but formal supply channels remain limited.

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