Dala Feeds is one of the popular animal feed brands in the country, produced in the heart of Kisumu County.
The brand is owned by the Kenya Poultry Farmers (KFP) in partnership with Trouw Nutrition, a globally renowned feed producer from the Netherlands.
Reminiscing on its journey to success, KFP director Hezron Opiyo recalled how financial struggles led to the establishment of the company.
Opiyo revealed that after completing his secondary school education in 2010, he was forced to venture into chicken farming since he could not afford school fees to further his education. He worked on his cousin’s farm before starting his own.
“I had to stay home for about two years. I asked my cousin who was keeping chickens if I could help on the farm, and he agreed. I worked for him for a year with no pay, but I received bonuses based on sales. I saved some money,” he told The Star.
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The farmer revealed he started with 50 chickens, which quickly grew to 100 chickens. He sold some and registered for a diploma in business management at the Kenyan Institute of Management, graduating in 2012.
He later enrolled for a degree programme in project planning and management at the University of Nairobi.
After graduating, Opiyo continued with his poultry business and registered KPF, which supports small, medium, and large-scale farmers in Western Kenya by supplying farm inputs, feed, and chicks. It also offers technical training and market access.
The company has supported farmers in the region by making feed prices more competitive to ensure the poultry business is profitable.
“Dala Feeds was born out of the need to reach more farmers and provide them with affordable, locally produced feed,” Opiyo says.
By sourcing raw materials like maize and soya locally, Dala Feeds produces poultry feed at lower costs, making it 20-30 percent cheaper than competitors.
The firm, which plans to contract farmers to grow soya and sunflower locally, also buys chickens from farmers, guaranteeing them a ready market.
“We buy broilers at Sh450 each, and for kienyeji chickens, we pay between Sh750 and Sh850, depending on weight,” Opiyo explains.
