Cobb East Africa officially opens new grandparent facility in Tanzania

TANZANIA – Cobb-Vantress and Irvine’s Group have officially opened Cobb East Africa Limited, a grandparent breeding facility in Naibili Village, Siha District, Kilimanjaro Region, strengthening poultry genetics supply across Sub-Saharan Africa while supporting food security and poultry sector growth in the region.

The facility is a joint venture between the global poultry genetics company and one of Africa’s leading poultry businesses. 

The opening ceremony was attended by representatives from the Siha District Commissioner’s office, the Tanzanian Department of Veterinary Services, the Royal Norwegian Embassy, poultry producers and executives from both companies.

The investment establishes a regional genetics supply base, reducing reliance on imported breeding stock and helping address long lead times, logistics challenges and supply chain disruptions that have historically affected African poultry producers.

The facility will produce grandparent stock used to generate parent stock for commercial broiler production across Sub-Saharan Africa. 

According to the company, the project has already created approximately 140 jobs, with 98% of employees being Tanzanian citizens.

Shelby Watkins, President of Cobb-Vantress, said the investment demonstrates the company’s commitment to the continent’s poultry industry.

“The opening of Cobb East Africa represents a major step forward in our long-term commitment to the African poultry industry,” Watkins said. 

“This investment is about more than expanding production capacity. It is about strengthening food security, supporting local farmers, creating sustainable employment opportunities and helping make high-quality protein more accessible and affordable for families across East Africa.”

Theo Bezuidenhout, General Manager of Cobb East Africa, said the project was expected to deliver long-term benefits for local communities and poultry producers across the region.

“This is the culmination of years of planning and shared vision. 

The impact on local employment and economic activity has already been significant, and we believe this is only the beginning for what Cobb East Africa can deliver for the region,” he said.

Investment supports poultry genetics advancement

The opening comes as poultry consumption continues to grow across Africa, driven by population growth, urbanisation and increasing demand for affordable animal protein. 

By producing breeding stock closer to customers, Cobb aims to improve supply reliability, strengthen technical support and enhance responsiveness to market needs.

The investment also aligns with Cobb-Vantress’ broader genetics development strategy. 

The company recently launched the Cobb800, a next-generation broiler breeder developed for large-scale poultry operations seeking higher meat yield, hatchability and flock performance. 

The new breed complements the Cobb500, which remains widely used in many poultry-producing markets.

For poultry producers, access to improved genetics is becoming increasingly important as the industry focuses on improving productivity, feed conversion and production efficiency. 

Combined with local breeding infrastructure, the new Tanzania facility is expected to support growth across the poultry value chain, including hatcheries, feed manufacturers and commercial broiler operations throughout Africa.

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