AFRICA – Hatch Africa, a burgeoning poultry enterprise committed to uplifting underserved rural communities, has successfully garnered a USD$9.5M investment from AgDevCo and the IDH Farmfit Fund.
This financial boost will be channeled into Flow Equity Africa Ventures (FEAV), the parent company overseeing Hatch’s operations across Kenya, Ghana, and Côte d’Ivoire, to expand its innovative model and reach millions of smallholder farmers.
Hatch Africa’s mission is to enhance the health and wealth of farmers by distributing dual-purpose day-old chicks via a widespread network of agents.
These agents nurture the chicks to maturity, typically around five weeks, before selling them to small-scale farmers.
The breeds supplied by Hatch are optimized for “backyard” conditions, thriving in small-scale environments where customers typically rear between 5 and 20 birds.
Compared to local breeds, Hatch’s chickens exhibit faster growth rates, higher egg production, and greater disease resistance.
Since its inception in 2010, Hatch Africa has reached 4.6 million households in Ethiopia, Uganda, and Rwanda, operating under the EthioChicken and Uzima Chicken brands.
The company is set to enter Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire under the Premier Poultry and Prestige Poultry brands, while Kenya will adopt the Uzima Chicken brand, meaning “full of life” in Swahili.
Joseph Shields, Co-founder of Hatch Africa, expressed gratitude for the support from long-term investors like AgDevCo and IDH, noting their deep understanding of the markets and their provision of flexible financing.
He remarked, “Their commitment enables us to scale our impact and commercial success, driving us toward our goal of building a truly pan-African enterprise.”
Rebecca Sankar, AgDevCo’s Managing Director for East Africa, voiced enthusiasm about continuing their investment in Hatch as it expands beyond Ethiopia.
She stated, “This marks our third investment in the company, each time supporting new market ventures. We look forward to enhancing rural incomes and nutrition across East and West Africa.”
Roel Messie, CEO of IDH Investment Management, which manages the IDH Farmfit Fund, highlighted the significance of their investment.
“Our funding facilitates Hatch Africa’s expansion in Kenya, Ghana, and Côte d’Ivoire, ensuring rural access to high-quality dual-purpose chickens.
This business’s transformational potential is what makes it an exciting investment for our fund.”
By 2030, Hatch Africa aims to amplify its impact six-fold, increasing annual chicken sales from 45 million to 340 million.
The company envisions reaching every farmer and providing one chicken per person per year in every country it operates.
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