Poultry company eying regional market for export

New brand. L-R: Biyinzika Poultry International Board chairman Noel Bartram, the commercial director Tom Oyugi and the chief executive officer Craig Neilson cut the cake at the launch of the new brand “Biyinzika Pearl Dressed Chicken” at the company offices last week. PHOTO BY DAVID LUBOWA

What you need to know:

Market. Upon becoming an end to end poultry company, the firm believes it is the right time to tap into the regional market.

After launching into a new market, Biyinzika Poultry is now looking to doing the same at the regional level, with South Sudan, Democratic Republic of Congo and Kenya being the initial targeted destination.
Already, there are inquiries from neighbouring countries about the range of Biyinzika Poultry products including the dressed chicken unveiled to the local market last week in Kampala.
With nearly 30 years of operation, the poultry firm believes it is the right time to tap into the regional market upon becoming an end to end poultry company, implying growth from supply of eggs to hatching and breeding and finally to provision of dressed chicken.
Daily Monitor understands that in the next three to six months plans, to export in the region would have been concretised. During the discussion with senior managers of Biyinzika Poultry, exporting stood out as part of the company’s main agenda. By end of the first quarter, this ambition could realised.
“Our growth has so far been in the domestic market. But the time is right to look at exporting to other markets in East Africa,” the board chairman, Mr Joel Bartram, said in his remarks during the launch of the dressed chicken for the local market.
He continued: “Over the last five years, the investment injected into the company has enabled the business to triple its turnover to Shs97 billion and double the number of its employees to 850. The company is looking to increase the number of contract growers supplying the business in line with its volume growth plans for dressed chicken.”
Mr Craig Neilson, the company’s chief executive officer, said there is room for industry growth, given the growing middle class in the country.

Investment
To get here, it took strategic planning thanks to a Shs4 billion investment into operations of dressed chicken.
In 2014, 8-Miles, a private equity firm focused in providing investments to continental (African) businesses, invested in Biyinzika, refocusing the company onto a new growth trajectory with a strategic plans to new products.

Turnover
Over the last five years, the investment injected into the company has enabled the business to triple its turnover to Shs97 billion and double the number of its employees to 850. The company is looking to increase the number of contract growers supplying the business in line with its volume growth plans for dressed chicken.