Feeding The Future: How Tunga is scaling Kenya’s aquaculture industry

The world’s population is projected to approach 10 billion by 2050, requiring about 60% more food to meet rising demand. More than half of that population growth will occur in Africa, meaning one in four people globally will live on the continent by mid-century.

Aquaculture is expected to play a central role in meeting that demand. Global aquaculture production is nearing 100 million tonnes annually and is projected to double by 2050, positioning fish farming as one of the fastest-growing sources of animal protein.

In Kenya, the blue economy is currently valued at approximately KES 40 billion (US$309 million), with the potential to reach KES 320 billion (US$2.48 billion) if infrastructure, market access and cost barriers are addressed. Aquaculture is expected to play an important role in that growth.

Yet the sector’s expansion has long been constrained by limited access to affordable, high-quality feed, a challenge that has slowed the development of fish farming nationwide.

It is within this context that companies such as Tunga Nutrition Kenya are working to strengthen the aquaculture value chain and improve feed availability for farmers.

“Building capacities, building communities” was the theme of Tunga Nutrition’s latest milestone celebration, marked by the launch of a new production line featuring a 5-metric-tonne-per-hour extruder, significantly upgrading local aquafeed manufacturing capacity.

From Feed Gaps to Local Production

Giving us insight into the company’s roots, Managing Director Harrison Juma explained that the business began in 2017 under the Unga Farm Care brand, producing fish feed under the Fugo brand.

When Fugo entered the market, fish farming was expanding, yet key constraints limited its potential. Kenya’s per capita fish consumption stood at 4.3 kg per person per year, significantly below Africa’s average of 9.7 kg. Demand was rising, and both cage culture and pond systems were growing, yet the country faced an estimated 50,000 metric ton supply gap.

Reflecting on the early market conditions, Managing Director Harrison Juma explained that farmers had few reliable local options for floating feed.

“At the time, farmers relied heavily on imported floating feeds, which were expensive and often inconsistently available,” Juma said. Most local mills were producing mash and sinking pellets, and there was very limited large-scale extrusion capacity to deliver durable, nutritionally precise floating feed.

At the time, Unga Farm Care was producing aquaculture feeds under its Fugo brand while also working closely with Skretting, Nutreco’s aquafeed business, which supplied technical expertise and products to the market.

Producing feed locally while leveraging Skretting’s global formulation expertise enabled the company to position itself as a manufacturer capable of supplying high-quality floating feed at more affordable prices, while improving technical standards and supply reliability.

However, demand grew faster than the company’s early capacity could support. In 2017, production stood at approximately 7,000 metric tonnes per year,  representing only about 4% of estimated market demand. It became clear that the company could not close the supply gap on its own.

As demand continued to grow, it became clear that operating separately was creating market duplication. In 2022, Unga Farm Care and Nutreco formalised a 50:50 joint venture, establishing Tunga Nutrition Kenya to consolidate production and expand capacity.

As Juma explained during the launch, “The market was asking for unity, not duplication. We needed bigger capacity and stronger support for farmers.” Collaboration, therefore, became the logical next step.

Closing the Skills Gap, Strengthening Communities

The partnership brought together local manufacturing strength and global aquaculture expertise onto a single platform.

Speaking during the launch, Rob Binnenkamp, Managing Director for Nutreco Middle East and Africa, said, “This partnership is not about money; it is about developing aquaculture in Africa and delivering more value to farmers.”

The goal was clear: build scale, improve coordination and work alongside farmers as they invest in long-term industry growth.

By 2023, the progress was visible. The company celebrated the opening of a state-of-the-art factory in Nairobi, tripling its production capacity to 23,000 tonnes per year, a major leap from its early beginnings.

Operations at the time ran on a 2.5-metric-tonne-per-hour extruder. Production volumes were modest, and efficiency was still stabilising.

Wesley Kimutai, a shift supervisor at Tunga Nutrition Kenya since its early days, recalls producing about 100 bags per week, sometimes fewer, and selling only a handful. Frequent machine adjustments and limited technical experience slowed throughput.

“At times the machine was slow, so we had to take many breaks as we adjusted parameters and stabilised the process,” he explained.

Skretting brought with it the technical expertise required to produce internationally recognised, high-standard aquafeeds. But machinery alone was not enough. Skills development quickly became a priority.

Wesley remembers that when operations began, the team faced a significant skills gap. To address this, Nutreco introduced a structured training programme in which one supervisor travels to Norway each year for a year-long training programme before returning to train colleagues locally.

“That has really helped us,” Wesley said, noting that the system has strengthened consistency and quality control across shifts.

As skills improved and processes became more refined, the company steadily expanded both capacity and its product offering. Tunga currently produces a range of floating tilapia feeds across multiple pellet sizes and nutritional stages, supporting farmers from early fry development through grow-out phases.

In 2025, the company further expanded its portfolio with two new tilapia feeds developed in partnership with Skretting: NutriPond and Optiline, powered by AmiNova, adding to its existing portfolio of Fugo tilapia growers and pregrowers, as well as Fugo catfish pregrowers.

NutriPond is designed for extensive pond systems, supporting natural pond productivity while promoting fish growth. Optiline targets semi-intensive and intensive farms, using a digestible amino acid formulation to enhance feed efficiency and growth performance.

Both feeds are available in multiple pellet sizes and protein levels aligned with different tilapia growth stages, reinforcing the company’s technical positioning in a rapidly evolving market.

Capacity has grown alongside farmer trust, technical capability and operational refinement. What began as a small extrusion operation has gradually evolved into a structured manufacturing platform serving Kenya’s expanding aquaculture industry.

Feeds and Operations with the 5 MT/h Extruder

Walking around the plant, Wesley explained what the 5 MT/h extruder means for the company. Under the earlier 2.5 MT/h system, smaller runs of about 5 metric tonnes per batch were common, particularly for 3-4 mm feed, he said. Output was steady but limited.

Today, operational capability stands at approximately 60 metric tonnes, with short-run throughput of 100-150 metric tonnes under optimised conditions. The new extruder allows tighter control of moisture, temperature and screw speed, resulting in improved pellet durability, floatability and batch consistency, while significantly reducing downtime.

With this upgrade, annual production capacity will double to 45,000 metric tonnes. Wesley noted that production is now smooth, and with the technical skills Nutreco has brought into the partnership, the plant can operate around the clock in two shifts.

“We can produce 150 metric tonnes per day with the extruder running continuously,” he said.

Production follows a controlled process. Raw materials are ground and mixed before steam conditioning. The mash then enters the extruder barrel, where heat, pressure and mechanical shear gelatinise starches and bind proteins. As the feed exits the die, pressure drops rapidly, creating the expansion needed for floatability.

Currently, the plant focuses on tilapia feed. Catfish feed requires up to 55% protein, significantly increasing formulation costs compared to the 48% used in tilapia starter feed. However, Wesley said the company may consider this in the future.

They produce 2 mm starter pellets containing up to 48% protein. As fish grow, protein levels decrease to about 35% in early grower feed, then 32% during mid-growth, and around 30% in larger-weight gain formulations.

Commercial volumes are concentrated around 3 mm and 4 mm floating pellets. The 3 mm pellet serves medium-sized fish, while the 4 mm variant is available in configurations such as Optiline and Nutra, depending on density and feeding behaviour.

Customer Intimacy

Even before the merger, both Unga and Nutreco shared the same philosophy: placing customers at the heart of everything they do. 

One of Tunga’s three guiding pillars is customer intimacy, actively listening to farmers and incorporating their feedback into product development. 

The feeds they produce are shaped not only by nutritional science, but also by performance, affordability and practical outcomes on the farm. 

“Our product development, technical support and service models are built on continuous engagement with farmers and communities,” Rob said.

During the launch event, Juma participated in a live Q&A session with farmers in attendance, focusing squarely on their challenges and experiences.

One farmer, who has been in the aquaculture business since 2009, highlighted a common concern: even when fish receive the same feed and are raised in similar environments, growth rates can vary. She explained that, when she started, limited technical knowledge made productivity a challenge. 

She encouraged the company to increase awareness on how to improve efficiency and optimise feed use. She also suggested including feeding charts on the packaging to clearly show the relationships among feed quantity, water temperature, and fish weight.

Rob reinforced this approach, noting that innovation cannot happen in isolation.

“You cannot pioneer anything if you are not together with your customers,” he said.

Feed decisions affect communities at every level, from farm input costs to the final price consumers pay for fish.

As the company has expanded, so too has its engagement with farmers.

“As you grow, you grow with the communities, you grow with the demands,” Juma said, reflecting on how Tunga continues to evolve in response to farmer feedback and industry needs.

At the commissioning event, Cabinet Secretary for Mining, Blue Economy and Maritime Affairs, Ali Hassan Joho, also noted that the company had supplied 300 bags of fish feed to support cage farmers in Lake Victoria, highlighting growing collaboration between the company and the community.

Challenges and Policy Context

While the commissioning of the 5 MT/h extruder marked a major production milestone, discussions during the event quickly shifted beyond machinery to the sector’s structural realities.

In a moderated panel session, the CS directly engaged industry leaders on sector bottlenecks. He asked Juma to outline the key challenges facing producers and highlight areas where government intervention could make a meaningful difference. 

“The high cost of raw materials remains a central concern,” Juma said. Key protein inputs such as soybean meal are sourced from neighbouring countries and Eastern Europe, while yellow maize used in feed formulations is also largely imported. Freight costs, duties and foreign exchange exposure add pressure before production even begins.

“We import most of our ingredients from neighbouring countries and Eastern Europe,” said James Nyutu, Group Managing Director of Unga Group PLC, noting that a 10% duty applies to imports from outside COMESA. He added that if even 50% of ingredients were sourced locally, feed prices could be significantly lower.

Dr Paul Orina, a research scientist at Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute, noted that national aquaculture production stands at around 20,000 tonnes, against a target of 450,000 tonnes by 2030. As demand for animal protein rises across Africa, expanding feed manufacturing capacity will be critical to meeting these ambitions.

Energy costs were also highlighted. Feed extrusion is power-intensive, and high electricity tariffs directly affect final feed prices. For manufacturers seeking to compete with imports, energy reform is not optional; it is essential.

The ministry encouraged participants to identify critical policy constraints, including tax reform, strengthening cooperatives, and improving infrastructure, while also highlighting opportunities for collaboration with the European Union and expanding export markets.

Officials added that the Ministry of Agriculture has completed a mapping exercise across all 47 counties to identify areas suitable for soybean, maize and other raw materials. The aim is to reduce import dependence and strengthen domestic supply chains. However, progress will require coordinated action on VAT, duties, infrastructure and farmer organisation.

The consensus was clear: scaling aquaculture depends not only on feed production but also on aligning policy, energy, agriculture, and research systems.

Scaling for a Growing Continent

Beyond immediate constraints, the discussion turned to long-term demand and sustainability.

Despite its rapid expansion, aquaculture accounts for only about 0.5% of global greenhouse gas emissions, compared with roughly one-third of total food system emissions.

For Tunga, however, sustainability must reflect local realities. “Sustainability means something different in different parts of the world. In Africa, it means livelihood,” Rob said. Rather than applying a uniform global model, the company intends to co-create solutions with farmers. “We want to create the program together with our customers, co-create change and deliver it to the needs that you, as a customer, have.”

As the sector grows, the challenge will be ensuring that innovation, investment, and skills development keep pace, building not only production capacity but also stronger communities around aquaculture across Kenya and the wider region.

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