The push to step up animal feed production in the country has received a boost with Dutch multinational De Heus opening a KES3 billion factory in Athi River to manufacture poultry, pigs, and dairy cattle feed.

According to an update, the company projects to manufacture roughly 200,000 metric tonnes of cattle feed before increasing to 260,000 metric tonnes.

“This factory is about building reliable systems for farmers. By manufacturing feed locally, we are addressing long-standing challenges such as inconsistent quality and dependence on imports, while supporting farmers to improve productivity and profitability,” said Wiehan Visagie, Managing Director of De Heus Kenya, ahead of the opening on February 18, 2026.

De Heus is a family-owned Dutch multinational corporation specializing in animal nutrition and it forecasts to create over 1,000 direct and indirect jobs across the supply chain in Kenya.

De Heus Kenya CEO Koen de Heus noted that the facility is built to solve the "quality-price paradox" that plagues agriculture in Africa. By localizing production and sourcing raw materials such as maize and soy from farmers, the firm intends to cut costs and logistics of importation, passing the savings directly to the farmer.

Additionally, De Heus Kenya plans to offer technical advisory services to farmers, focusing on feed utilization, ration formulation, and animal nutrition management. 

Principal Secretary for Livestock Jonathan Mueke hailed the investment, noting that the investment, “is a partner in our [Kenya] food security strategy," he stated.

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