Kenya’s Food Processors Strengthen Fortification Standards

32 companies representing 144 brands take part in the 2026 Kenya Millers Fortification Index, which benchmarks products estimated to reach 45 million consumers daily.

Kenya’s food processing industry is stepping up efforts to improve the nutritional quality of everyday food products. The Kenya Millers Fortification Index (KMFI) now assesses products estimated to reach 45 million Kenyans daily.

Since its introduction in 2022, the index has grown from five participating companies representing 41 brands to 32 companies with 144 brands in 2026. It covers maize flour, wheat flour and edible oils.

Kenya Faces Persistent Micronutrient Deficiencies

The growth comes as Kenya continues to face micronutrient deficiencies, commonly known as hidden hunger. This occurs when people consume enough food but lack essential vitamins and minerals for healthy growth and development.

According to the Kenya Demographic and Health Survey (KDHS) 2022, 18 per cent of children under five are stunted. Four per cent experience wasting, while 11 per cent are underweight.

Other national nutrition data cited by the programme indicate that about 42 per cent of pregnant women experience anaemia. Nearly one in three women also have folate deficiency. Zinc deficiency remains widespread, affecting an estimated 82 per cent of children under five.

These figures highlight the importance of food fortification. The process helps improve access to essential nutrients through widely consumed products such as maize flour, wheat flour and edible oils.

Food Fortification Supports Better Nutrition

Food fortification involves adding essential vitamins and minerals to commonly consumed foods during processing. These include iron, zinc, vitamin A and B vitamins.

When implemented effectively, fortification can help improve micronutrient intake. It also complements efforts to promote balanced diets.

Speaking during the KMFI Awards, Paloma Fernandes, Chief Executive Officer of the Cereal Millers Association (CMA), said industry ownership would be important in sustaining the progress made.

“Localizing the KMFI is not just about moving a programme from one organization 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,” she said.

Fernandes added that sustained investment in food safety and fortification could strengthen consumer confidence. It could also create market opportunities for responsible processors.

Rizwan Yusufali, Global Program Director at Millers for Nutrition, said the growth of the index demonstrated increasing industry commitment to 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 said.

He added that industry ownership would help sustain the systems, partnerships and accountability mechanisms established through the programme.

Food Processors Recognised for Fortification Performance

At the awards, Mombasa Maize Millers Ltd – Mombasa and Unga Limited emerged joint top performers in the large-scale maize and wheat flour category.

United Millers and Baraka Flour Mills led the medium-scale category. Meanwhile, Spice World Ltd was named the top-performing small-scale processor.

In the edible oils category, Kapa Oil Refineries Limited took first position. Pwani Oil Ltd and Vipingo Industries Ltd followed.

How the Kenya Millers Fortification Index Works

The Cereal Millers Association (CMA) organises the KMFI Awards in partnership with TechnoServe and Millers for Nutrition.

The index gives processors a structured way to assess their performance against food fortification and quality assurance requirements.

The assessment allocates 50 per cent of the overall score to operational processes. These include staff training, raw material procurement, production controls, governance and consumer engagement.

The remaining 50 per cent comes from independent laboratory testing. This assesses micronutrient levels and product safety standards.

Beyond recognizing strong performance, the index helps identify areas that need improvement. It also encourages investment in quality assurance and strengthens accountability across the food processing value chain.