Meru Dairy recognised as Company of the Year – Dairy Development Champion at the Africa Dairy Industry Awards 2026

KENYA – Meru Central Dairy Cooperative Union has been honoured with the Company of the Year – Dairy Development Champion award at the Africa Dairy Industry Awards 2026, held on 17th April 2026 alongside the Africa Dairy Innovation Summit.

The recognition affirms the cooperative’s transformative role in advancing dairy development, farmer empowerment, and value chain integration in Kenya.

Established in 1967 by three cooperative societies, Meru Dairy has grown into Kenya’s largest dairy cooperative and processor, with a strong farmer-owned model that places producers at the centre of its operations.

Today, the union works with over 100,000 farmers and processes approximately 640,000 to 700,000 litres of milk daily, with ambitious plans to scale production to 1 million litres per day.

The cooperative commands an estimated 31% share of Kenya’s dairy market, underscoring its national influence and operational scale.

Its flagship brand, Mount Kenya Milk, is widely distributed across all counties, offering a range of products including fresh pasteurised milk, yoghurt, fermented milk (lala), ghee, butter, and cream.

These products are processed under modern technologies to ensure quality, safety, and consistency, positioning the brand as a trusted household name.

A key pillar of Meru Dairy’s success is its strong commitment to dairy development through farmer support systems.

The cooperative provides reliable market access, consistently paying farmers competitive prices, approximately KSh 50 per litre, while ensuring prompt payments, a critical factor in sustaining farmer livelihoods.

Beyond milk processing, Meru Dairy has invested significantly in upstream and downstream value chain development.

Notably, the establishment of the Meru Maziwa Millers feed factory aims to reduce production costs by supplying affordable, high-quality animal feeds, addressing one of the biggest challenges faced by dairy farmers.

The facility is expected to produce up to 10,000 tonnes of feed, strengthening productivity and improving milk yields across its network.

The cooperative also plays a critical role in capacity building, offering training programmes on animal husbandry, milk quality improvement, and sustainable farming practices.

These initiatives have contributed to increased productivity, improved milk quality, and enhanced resilience among smallholder farmers.

With annual revenues estimated at KSh 24 billion, Meru Dairy is not only a dairy leader but also a significant economic driver within the Mount Kenya region, demonstrating the power of cooperative-led agribusiness in driving rural development and economic inclusion.

The Company of the Year – Dairy Development Champion award recognises organisations that have made outstanding contributions to strengthening the dairy ecosystem.

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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