From a once-struggling enterprise, the Kenya Meat Commission’s (KMC) daily sales have grown from Sh20,000 to Sh25 million and slaughter volumes now average over 300 animals a day.
Central to this resurgence is the popularity of its meat on bone — a product which makes up roughly 75 percent KMC sales and organs such as offal matumbo which make up 25 percent — that resonates with Kenyan consumers for their affordability and nutritional value.
“Meat on the bone is the highest-selling product, followed by carcasses and then canned corned beef. In Eastern and Central Africa, KMC is actually the sole producer of canned corned beef,” Lydia Mandila, the sales and marketing manager at KMC, told BDLife in an interview in Kitengela on the outskirts of Nairobi.
While security agencies are the primary consumers, KMC also exports the canned corned beef.
“It has a shelf life of five years and is considered a safe product for security purposes, which drives the commission as well,” she says.
The commission has been through many phases, says Ms Mandila, adding that the shift began in 2020 when former President Uhuru Kenyatta transferred KMC from the Ministry of Agriculture to that of Defence.
“We’ve had a significant leap even when it comes to sourcing livestock. With consistent supply, you’re guaranteed a market. In the last quarter alone, for instance, we moved over 285 tonnes of carcasses [carcasses are sold whole and are different from beef cuts].”
KMC has also benefited from the spike in demand for offal.
“We’ve seen tremendous growth in matumbo sales and profits,” Ms Mandila says, adding that despite it being a profitable by-product—its availability is directly tied to the number of animals slaughtered.
“For instance, out of 130kg of processed beef, you only get about 13kg of matumbo. We also don’t get high-quality matumbo from all slaughterhouses. For instance, in pastoral areas where deworming isn’t consistently practised, the offal may not meet the market standard, so it gets diverted to make meat and bone meal,” she says.
“So the more we slaughter, the more offal we can supply. We even do targeted distribution, sometimes going into estates and low-income areas to meet demand,” she said.
“Take Ladhies Road [In Nairobi where KMC has a wholesale depot], for instance; by 10am, there’s often no matumbo left. Everyone now flocks there since the Burma market is a bit slow.”
Kenya Meat Commission (KMC) Sales and Marketing Manager Lydia Mandila during an interview at the institution in Machakos County on May 13, 2025.
Photo credit: Dennis Onsongo | Nation Media Group
Ms Mandila says KMC sees matumbo not just as a passing trend but as a growth product, even internationally. “We’ve had export markets express interest,” she says, adding, “That’s why we’re investing more in cold storage. But before we ship anything abroad, we’re keen to meet the needs of the local market first.”
100 percent usage
Each part of the carcass is utilised purposefully. “Most of the meat on bone comes from the forequarter, while the hindquarter carries a lot of our steaks,” she explains.
The deboning process also yields trimmings and fat, which are repurposed into mincemeat and lean mince. Even bones are sold for soup or cultural uses. "Whatever we buy from livestock farmers, we ensure 100 percent of it is processed and sold. Skins and hides are sold to tanneries across Kenya," she says.
During processing, by-products such as blood, meat trimmings are converted into powder for animal feed, and meat and bone meal is created from offal trimmings.
“We even produce tallow for soap manufacturers,” she says. “Kenyans often confuse tallow and oleo-fat; tallow is used in soap making, while oleo fat is the one that’s safe for cooking.”
Other unexpected offshoots include organic manure, which is sold to farmers.
Challenges
However, it does not mean the business has not faced challenges.
Pricing of meat in Kenya, Ms Mandila explains, is anything but stable. “It’s quite erratic,” says Ms Mandila. “The two biggest factors are climatic conditions and market dynamics.”
During rais, many livestock farmers withdraw their animals from the market to allow them to fatten, thanks to the abundance of pasture. “So, availability of livestock becomes a problem, and therefore, prices go up.”
On the flip side, when schools reopen, many livestock keepers bring animals to market to raise school fees.
Then there is the dry season, when livestock is more readily available, but at a cost to quality. “During drought, prices are low, but so is the quality,” she adds.
This seasonal fluctuation makes it difficult for the meat industry to maintain consistent pricing and quality at the same time.
To counter supply challenges, the Kenya Meat Commission has developed a more sustainable model through contract farming.
“We work with contracted farmers to cushion us through low seasons, but we also maintain an open-door policy. A trader or individual farmer can supply livestock as long as they meet our strict quality standards. "We ask: Where are these animals coming from? Is the area quarantine-free? Disease-free?” Ms Mandila explains. “This process includes issuing a letter of no objection, followed by a movement permit, both of which act as safeguards against cattle rustling and ensure full traceability in case of a disease outbreak.”
Even with these measures, she admits that unpredictability still exists because the meat industry in Kenya is liberalised.
“We’re both a buyer and a seller in an open market,” she says. “And the country has opened up live animal exports, especially to Oman. So, when Oman is actively buying livestock, prices go up locally because the export market offers better returns.”
Once animals are delivered, KMC lets them rest for a minimum of 12 hours. This is not just a welfare protocol, it’s a biological necessity.
“Rest allows time for signs of illness to emerge and for adrenaline levels to drop, improving meat quality. If you slaughter an animal that’s stressed, the carcass is often dark and tough. When it rests, it heals. Just like humans, if adrenaline is high, the blood flow is abnormal.”
Meat production at the Kenya Meat Commission on June 9, 2022.
Photo credit: Sila Kiplagat | Nation Media Group
KMC has also had to educate farmers on better transport practices. “Previously, people would cram 50 or so animals into a single lorry. That affects meat quality. Now, we’ve had to tell them, stop that. Use better spacing. Carcasses are chilled for a minimum of eight hours at 0 to -2 degrees Celsius, enough time for microorganisms to die naturally and for blood to drain properly. It’s a small window, but it makes all the difference. Proper chilling preserves tenderness, colour, and safety.”
Camel meat
KMC is targeting international markets.
“The UAE is currently our largest consumer of ‘shorts’—that’s lamb and goat meat. Just for the shorts, we average about 200 tonnes to the Gulf market weekly, but we scatter them because we also have to meet local demand, but we are achieving 100 tonnes per week,” Ms Mandila says. “We also have contracts with buyers like Sea Sharks for beef exports. “We’re in talks with the Saudis, although we haven’t finalised that yet. We’re also working toward entering the European market, though that requires stringent traceability protocols.”
To meet the European Union’s high standards, meat exporters are expected to have Food Safety System Certification (FSSC).
“With proper feedlot systems in place, we believe Kenya can achieve the level of traceability required—from the birth of an animal to the vaccines it received and where it was raised,” she said. “That would be our ticket into Europe.”
So how do they minimise financial risks?
KMC says it follows a prepaid, free-on-board model. “Clients pay upfront, we process the meat, and either they come to pick it up ex-factory, or we load it into their containers for export."
