Meru Central Dairy Cooperative Union secures ISO 22000:2018 certification unlocking global market access

KENYA – Meru Central Dairy Cooperative Union, popularly known as Mount Kenya Milk, has achieved a major milestone after receiving ISO 22000:2018 Food Safety Management System certification from the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS).

The certification positions the cooperative to expand its footprint beyond domestic markets and access high-value international destinations.

The recognition affirms the institution’s commitment to quality assurance, product safety, and adherence to internationally accepted dairy processing practices.

With its daily processing capacity exceeding 600,000 litres of milk, the cooperative is now better equipped to penetrate premium export markets across Europe, the Middle East, and other global regions that require strict food safety standards.

The certificate was formally presented by Esther Ngari, Managing Director of KEBS, to the cooperative’s Chief Executive Officer, Kenneth Gitonga.

“Today’s ISO 22000:2018 Food Safety Management Systems certification is not an isolated achievement. It is the natural progression of a cooperative spirit that has always believed in doing things better together and now stands ready to compete confidently on the regional and global stage,” she noted.

During the ceremony, the Principal Secretary State Department of Livestock Development, Jonathan Mueke, highlighted the government’s ongoing push to implement the Quality-Based Payment (QBP) system, which seeks to reward farmers for delivering higher-quality milk.

To support this transition, the government has pledged to provide laboratory equipment for quality testing as a subsidy to cooperatives.

This move is expected to accelerate the sector’s modernization, improve transparency, and ensure farmers are fairly compensated for higher-quality milk.

He noted that the transition to QBP will strengthen value chain efficiency, enhance product integrity, and improve farmer incomes.

“Export of milk powder to countries like Algeria, Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of Congo, DRC, will not only put more money in the pockets of our dairy farmers, but will also ensure that all excess milk, all the stock that has not been sold, will be mopped up by these markets that are right here with us in Africa.“

This intervention is expected to facilitate accurate grading, promote transparency in pricing, and accelerate the modernization of dairy operations across the country.

The certification marks a significant step forward for Mount Kenya Milk and reinforces Kenya’s broader ambition to position its dairy industry as a globally competitive supplier of safe, high-quality products.

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