New KCC clinches Company of the Year – Industry Leadership Award at Africa Dairy Industry Awards 2026

KENYA – New Kenya Cooperative Creameries (New KCC), the oldest and largest dairy processor in East and Central Africa, has been recognised as Company of the Year – Industry Leadership Award winner at the Africa Dairy Industry Awards 2026.

The accolade was presented during a ceremony co-located with the Africa Dairy Innovation Summit on 17 April 2026.

The recognition of New KCC as Company of the Year – Industry Leadership Award at the Africa Dairy Industry Awards 2026 highlights its long-standing leadership in Kenya’s dairy sector as a strategic government corporation that has sustained and scaled dairy processing and farmer support for over a century.

New KCC has served as Kenya’s premier national dairy processor, with roots tracing back more than 100 years as a farmer-supporting enterprise dedicated to procuring, processing, and marketing high-quality milk and dairy products.

Under its continued modernisation drive, the organisation has upgraded its processing facilities with state-of-the-art technology, significantly expanding processing and holding capacities.

It operates eight major processing factories and thirteen milk cooling plants, supported by numerous satellite coolers strategically located in key dairy regions across the country.

Key achievements include successful diversification into value-added processing and branding.

The cooperative now produces and markets a comprehensive range of quality dairy products, including fresh milk (such as Gold Crown Fresh Milk), long-life UHT milk (flavoured and unflavoured), fermented milk (KCC Mala), yoghurt (KCC Yoghurt), butter, cheese, and milk powder.

These products are distributed nationwide through eight sales depots and a robust logistics network, reaching large institutions, supermarkets, and small kiosks from major urban centres to rural markets.

New KCC sources milk from thousands of smallholder farmer partners and serves over two million beneficiaries along the dairy value chain.

It employs a dedicated workforce and has implemented an agribusiness platform that links farmers to essential services including artificial insemination (AI), quality animal feeds, agro-vet supplies, and financial products.

The organisation continues to invest in milk procurement infrastructure, extension services, and best practices to ensure consistent supply of high-quality milk while offering competitive pricing and reliable market access.

New KCC was named joint winner in the Industry Leadership Award category at the same 2026 Africa Dairy Industry Awards, reflecting the impact of its century-long legacy, operational excellence, and contribution to the sector’s competitiveness.

The organisation has received support from the national government and various county governments through partnerships focused on infrastructure development, school feeding programmes, fodder production, and sustainability initiatives.

New KCC’s leadership has emphasised farmer empowerment, value addition, infrastructure modernisation, technology adoption, and market expansion in a sector dominated by smallholder production.

Its model encompasses collection, processing, branding, and nationwide distribution while maintaining strong governance and community engagement.

This award acknowledges New KCC’s institutional contributions to industry leadership, operational scaling, product diversification, technology adoption, and the advancement of Kenya’s dairy value chain as the dairy brand of choice in Kenya and beyond.

About the Africa Dairy Industry Awards

The Africa Dairy Industry Awards, held annually alongside the Africa Dairy Innovation Summit, celebrate excellence, leadership, innovation, and sustainability across the continent’s dairy value chain, from production and processing to technology, food safety, value addition, and market development.

Categories include Dairy Industry Persons of the Year (such as Most Influential Dairy Person, Chief Executive Officer of the Year), Dairy Product Innovations of the Year, Dairy Processor of the Year, and others for cooperatives, investments, and commercial farms.

The awards recognise outstanding contributions by individuals, organisations, and projects, bringing together farmers, processors, cooperatives, researchers, policymakers, and investors to promote best practices and greater competitiveness in the sector.

Full details are available at https://africadairysummit.com/awards/.

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