Hatch Africa
Hatch Africa is leading the way in introducing a novel business approach throughout sub-Saharan Africa aimed at making eggs and chickens accessible to every household.
| Date | Investors | Amount | Round |
|---|---|---|---|
* | $9.5m | Growth Equity non VC | |
| Total Funding | 000k | ||
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Hatch Africa operates as a social enterprise focused on improving the livelihoods of smallholder farmers across sub-Saharan Africa. Founded in 2010 by Joseph Shields and David Ellis, the company aims to make farmers healthier and wealthier by providing them with improved poultry. Hatch Africa addresses the challenges of low-yielding local chicken breeds and high poultry mortality rates that affect the majority of households in the region.
The company's core business involves the distribution of high-yielding, dual-purpose day-old chicks that are bred to be tropically adapted and thrive in rural, free-range conditions. These chicks grow faster and lay more eggs than indigenous breeds. The business model is built on an extensive network of over 16,000 agents who are crucial for last-mile distribution. Hatch Africa supplies these agents with a complete package that includes day-old chicks, feed, and vaccines. The agents then brood the chicks for about 30 days before selling them to smallholder farmers in their local communities.
This agent-driven model allows the company to reach millions of rural households, which typically purchase between 5 and 20 chickens. The farmers raise the chickens for both household consumption of eggs and meat and to sell the surplus in local markets, generating additional income. The company operates its own breeding facilities, hatcheries, and feed mills to ensure the quality of its products. Since its inception, Hatch Africa reports having sold over 267 million chicks and generated more than $3.4 billion in additional income for smallholders. The company operates in several African countries, including Ethiopia, Uganda, Rwanda, Kenya, Ghana, and Côte d'Ivoire, under various brand names like EthioChicken and Uzima Chicken.
Keywords: poultry distribution, smallholder farmers, sub-Saharan Africa, dual-purpose chickens, agricultural social enterprise, rural development, agent-based model, livestock, food security, poultry genetics, animal feed, last-mile distribution, rural income generation, EthioChicken, Uzima Chicken, sustainable agriculture, poultry value chain, African agriculture, day-old chicks, farmer empowerment