Unga reopens subsidiary
Sep 01, 2003
Unga Group, Kenya’s largest grain miller and animal feed producer, has officially re-opened its operations in the Uganda.
By Emmy Olaki
Unga Group, Kenya’s largest grain miller and animal feed producer, has officially re-opened its operations in the Uganda.
President Yoweri Museveni last week commissioned Unga Millers Uganda Limited at the Sheraton Kampala Hotel. The actual plant is situated in Ntinda industrial area. Unga abandoned Uganda in the early 1970s as the local economy began its downward spiral.
Museveni summed up Africa’s economic handicaps into three words, “Production, processing and marketing,†he said.
“Sometimes we produce and don’t process. We sell unprocessed goods and that’s why we get low value for our products, like coffee. The coffee earnings in the world amount to $70b. Producing countries get $5b. The rest goes to non-producers. This is what we need to stop,†Museveni said.
Unga Holdings Limited are the majority shareholders in Unga Millers (Uganda) Limited. Unga holdings are in turn owned by the Unga Group Limited, a listed company in Kenya and Seaboard Corporation, a listed company in the United States.
Unga Millers (Uganda) in addition to the Unga Group also has two local shareholders, Cecilia Ogwal and Sam Okello Ocero.
Richard Kemoli, the Unga Group chairman said, until now they had no physical presence in Uganda, but many of their products were popular here. He cited the ‘Exe’ baking flour.
“The discerning Ugandan consumer, being appreciative of its superior quality, has remained loyal over the years. In order to make our product more readily and regularly available to them, we took the bold decision to invest in a milling plant here,†he told invited guests.
Museveni said Uganda can produce any quantities of anything agricultural.
“The controlling factor in Uganda is market. Production is not a problem. So if anybody helps us solve the marketing and processing problem, then we shall have no problem,†he said.
“I salute this partnership for coming to Uganda. They will help us to link to big markets and we shall link them to this market. We are very happy to see that our external markets are expanding. This is a good linkage,†he said.
Unga Group, Kenya’s largest grain miller and animal feed producer, has officially re-opened its operations in the Uganda.
President Yoweri Museveni last week commissioned Unga Millers Uganda Limited at the Sheraton Kampala Hotel. The actual plant is situated in Ntinda industrial area. Unga abandoned Uganda in the early 1970s as the local economy began its downward spiral.
Museveni summed up Africa’s economic handicaps into three words, “Production, processing and marketing,†he said.
“Sometimes we produce and don’t process. We sell unprocessed goods and that’s why we get low value for our products, like coffee. The coffee earnings in the world amount to $70b. Producing countries get $5b. The rest goes to non-producers. This is what we need to stop,†Museveni said.
Unga Holdings Limited are the majority shareholders in Unga Millers (Uganda) Limited. Unga holdings are in turn owned by the Unga Group Limited, a listed company in Kenya and Seaboard Corporation, a listed company in the United States.
Unga Millers (Uganda) in addition to the Unga Group also has two local shareholders, Cecilia Ogwal and Sam Okello Ocero.
Richard Kemoli, the Unga Group chairman said, until now they had no physical presence in Uganda, but many of their products were popular here. He cited the ‘Exe’ baking flour.
“The discerning Ugandan consumer, being appreciative of its superior quality, has remained loyal over the years. In order to make our product more readily and regularly available to them, we took the bold decision to invest in a milling plant here,†he told invited guests.
Museveni said Uganda can produce any quantities of anything agricultural.
“The controlling factor in Uganda is market. Production is not a problem. So if anybody helps us solve the marketing and processing problem, then we shall have no problem,†he said.
“I salute this partnership for coming to Uganda. They will help us to link to big markets and we shall link them to this market. We are very happy to see that our external markets are expanding. This is a good linkage,†he said.