A poultry feed mill is planned for Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia.
This will support the business of a fast-food chain based in the United Arab Emirates, reports The National News.
According to this source, Americana is the biggest operator of quick-service restaurants in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. By mid-2023, the company was operating almost 2,300 stores across the region. Many of the company’s 250 new outlets planned for completion by the end of this year are in Saudi Arabia.
At a recent event in Abu Dhabi, company chairman Mohamed Alabbar said that the investment in Ethiopia will support Americana’s business by boosting the poultry feed supply.
As corn and soybeans cannot be grown in the Middle East, he said that the region is unable to produce sufficient animal feed.
Alabbar did not give further details about the planned investment in Addis Ababa.
Founded in the 1960s, Americana was among the first fast-food chains in Kuwait. Since then, it has expanded to become the leading operator of out-of-home dining in 12 countries. Across MENA and Kazakhstan, it operates a number of chains, including KFC and Pizza Hut.
In 2022, it raised US$1.8 billion from an initial public offering as it launched simultaneously on the stock exchanges of Saudi Arabia and Abu Dhabi, reported the same source.
The group also operates hotel chains across the region. Last year, it launched a large project to develop a marina and luxury accommodation at the Albanian port of Durres.
Boosts for Ethiopian poultry sector
This year, New Business Ethiopia reported a new government initiative to boost poultry and dairy output in the East African state.
Within four years, the agriculture ministry plans to make chicken, eggs and milk affordable for all households.
Among the targets is for chicken meat production to rise from the current 90,000 metric tons (mt) per year to 240,000 mt within the time frame. Similarly, the target for annual egg production is 9.1 billion — up from 3.2 billion.
Similarly ambitious goals were announced for dairy and honey output.
Ethiopia’s human population is over 123 million, according to data from the World Bank (2022).
Latest official figures for Ethiopian poultry production are 70,100 mt for chicken meat, and 1.14 billion eggs. These are from 2021, the most recent year for which the statistics arm of the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization FAOstat has published data.
Taking a different approach to improving the nation’s poultry is EthioChicken, reported How We Made It In Africa this year.
Part of Flow Equity, which targets rural households, EthioChicken was set up in Ethiopia in 2010.
The company produces day-old chicks that are sold to agents, who rear the birds to six or seven weeks of age. Not only are they bred to thrive under local conditions, the birds are also more robust when they are sold to rural customers to rear on and sell for eggs or meat.
