Kenya’s food processing industry has strengthened its commitment to tackling micronutrient deficiencies

Since its introduction in 2022, the KMFI has grown from just five participating companies representing 41 brands to 32 companies representing 144 brands in 2026, covering maize flour, wheat flour and edible oils.

The expansion comes at a time when Kenya continues to grapple with widespread micronutrient deficiencies, commonly referred to as hidden hunger, which occur when people consume sufficient food but do not receive the essential vitamins and minerals required for healthy growth and development.

According to the Kenya Demographic and Health Survey (KDHS) 2022, 18 per cent of children under five are stunted, while four per cent experience wasting and 11 per cent are underweight. Other national nutrition data cited by the programme indicate that approximately 42 per cent of pregnant women experience anaemia, while nearly one in three women suffer from folate deficiency. Zinc deficiency also remains widespread, affecting an estimated 82 per cent of children under five.

These nutritional gaps underscore the importance of strengthening food fortification, particularly for widely consumed staples such as maize flour, wheat flour and edible oils.

Food fortification involves adding essential vitamins and minerals, including iron, zinc, vitamin A and B vitamins, to commonly consumed foods during processing. When implemented effectively and combined with a balanced diet, fortification can help improve micronutrient intake and reduce the risk of nutrition-related health complications.

Speaking during the KMFI Awards, Paloma Fernandes, Chief Executive Officer of the Cereal Millers Association (CMA), said industry ownership of the KMFI would be critical to sustaining the progress made so far. “Localising the KMFI is not just about moving a programme from one organisation to another, It is about the private sector embracing the initiative, shaping its future, investing in it and making sure it continues long after the initial programme support has ended.”

Fernandes added that the long-term value of the initiative would lie in translating investment in food safety and fortification into stronger consumer confidence and market opportunities for responsible processors.

On his part, Rizwan Yusufali, Global Program Director, Millers for Nutrition, said the growth of the KMFI demonstrated increasing industry commitment to strengthening food fortification and quality systems. “The combination of operational assessment and independent product testing is important because it gives the industry a credible way to measure progress and build trust around food fortification.”

He added that the transition to industry ownership provides an opportunity to build on the systems, partnerships and accountability mechanisms established through the programme and sustain progress in food fortification over the long term.

At the awards, Mombasa Maize Millers Ltd – Mombasa and Unga Limited emerged joint top performers in the large-scale maize and wheat flour category, while United Millers and Baraka Flour Mills led the medium-scale category. Spice World Ltd was named the top-performing small-scale processor. In the edible oils category, Kapa Oil Refineries Limited took first position, followed by Pwani Oil Ltd and Vipingo Industries Ltd.

Organised by the Cereal Millers Association (CMA), in partnership with TechnoServe and Millers for Nutrition, the KMFI Awards provide participating processors with a structured mechanism for measuring their performance against food fortification and quality assurance requirements.

Under the framework, 50 per cent of the overall assessment is based on operational processes, including staff training, raw material procurement, production controls, governance and consumer engagement. The remaining 50 per cent is determined through independent laboratory testing to assess micronutrient levels and product safety standards.

The assessment is designed not only to recognise companies demonstrating strong performance but also to identify gaps requiring improvement, encourage investment in quality assurance and strengthen accountability across the food processing value chain.