De Heus Animal Nutrition has successfully held a groundbreaking ceremony for a new aquaculture feed mill plant in Njeru, near Jinja in Uganda.
This state-of-the-art facility will be the first dedicated aquafeed plant in Uganda and marks an important milestone for the manufacturer.
At full capacity, the plant will have the capability to produce approximately 50 thousand metric tons of fish feed per year, catering to the growing demand in the East African market.
“We are proud to contribute to the nutrition and food security of Uganda, as fish plays a vital role in the country’s diet. With the wild catch stagnating or decreasing and the population rapidly growing, farmed fish has become crucial to meet the increasing demand,” said Theo Smalbraak, De Heus’ Business Group Director Africa & Middle East.
Uganda possesses immense potential for aquaculture, given its large lakes and favorable water temperatures that support year-round fish farming.
“By launching this plant, we aim to provide a positive boost to the aquaculture industry in Uganda and the surrounding countries,” said Smalbraak.
Although the industry has shown promising growth in recent years, it requires affordable and reliable quality feeds for further development.
New plant to offer flexible supply chain
Currently, most feeds are imported, but our local factory will offer a shorter, more flexible supply chain.
“At De Heus we believe in the potential of Africa and that is why we are investing in expanding our footprint: in South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, and recently with modern factories in Ghana and Ivory Coast. And now in Uganda,” said Smalbraak.
The impact of this plant goes beyond employment at the facility itself as the company anticipates a significant positive effect on employment among fish farmers and suppliers aiming to replace imports and source raw materials such as maize, cassava, soy, and others locally as much as possible.
De Heus combines global experience and expertise with a rich background in Dutch agricultural innovation.
“We firmly believe in the potential of Africa, which is why we continue to invest in expanding our footprint across the continent. In addition to our presence in South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, and Ivory Coast, we are now proud to establish ourselves in Uganda.”
“We feel privileged to have welcomed honored guests in celebrating this special occasion of the groundbreaking ceremony. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to our partners, the government, local authorities, the Dutch embassy, and our business relations for their unwavering support.”
In Uganda, the firm operates under two distinct brands: De Heus for aquafeed and Koudijs for other livestock feeds.
About De Heus
De Heus Animal Nutrition is a family company that was established in 1911 and is currently run and owned by the fourth generation.
With nearly 100 factories spread across Europe, Asia, Africa, and Latin America, we have grown rapidly to become one of the top 10 global feed companies.
