Incofin Investment Management and the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), through the Nutritious Food Financing Facility (N3F), have announced new investments in three pioneering food enterprises in East Africa: Soy Afric in Kenya, and Mkuza Chicks Ltd and Rainbow Haulage in Tanzania.
These companies are leading positive change in regional food systems —delivering essential, safe, and affordable nutrition, improving livelihoods, and reaching vulnerable populations across both urban and rural areas. With the support from the fund, these enterprises are now poised to scale their operations and deepen their impact. With these latest additions, the fund now counts eight active investments across Sub-Saharan Africa.
Soy Afric: scaling local nutrition
For over three decades of experience, Soy Afric is a trusted provider of fortified blended foods, porridges and fortified flours for vulnerable communities across Kenya, Somalia, Ethiopia, Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Its nutritionally enhanced product, Unimix, is distributed through school feeding programs, hospitals, and humanitarian relief efforts, while other products such as Nutridense and Tender Mercies provide additional sources of essential nutrients for low-income consumers. With an estimated impact to 25,000 people per year, Soy Afric’s focus on fortified foods helps improve nutrition outcomes, especially for children under five and pregnant women who require additional nutrients.
Now, with N3F investment, the company is buying more soybeans at peak harvest, locking in critical raw material when it's most affordable. But this partnership goes further. It will strengthen operations and support sales and marketing efforts, enabling Soy Afric to further contribute to improved nutrition security in Kenya and the broader East African region.
Mkuza Chicks Ltd: empowering women and advancing poultry nutrition
In Tanzania, Mkuza Chicks Ltd has been a household name since 1999. A woman-owned, woman-led business with deep roots in the poultry sector, it supports over 2,000 smallholder farmers each year, 90% of whom are women and 40% of whom are youth. From hatcheries to abattoir, Mkuza’s vertically integrated operations ensure affordable chicken meat and eggs reach low- and middle-income consumers across the country.
With long-term capital from the fund, Mkuza is entering a new growth phase. The company will rebuild several chicken houses and automate key productivity functions, such as feeding, watering and climate control. N3F support will assist in optimizing the use of a poultry management system to increase efficiencies. Mkuza is upgrading not just facilities, but possibilities to reach more smallholder farmers and consumers.
Rainbow Haulage: linking smallholder farmers to regional nutrition pipelines
Rainbow Haulage plays a quiet but vital role in East Africa’s food landscape. Based in Tanzania, the company aggregates, cleans, and trades staple crops — maize, sorghum, soy, and beans — from 18 cooperatives and 30 commercial farmers. It connects smallholder farmers to large institutional buyers such as the World Food Programme, Africa Improved Foods, other producers, and National Food Reserve in Tanzania. These commodities are used for emergency food relief, school feeding programs, and fortified food production, directly benefiting vulnerable populations, including refugees, pregnant women, and children facing food insecurity.
The demand for nutrient-rich staple foods remains high in Tanzania and across the East African region, particularly in times of climate-related shocks, such as droughts and floods. Rainbow’s ability to supply these essential foods to humanitarian agencies and food fortification companies ensures that vulnerable communities have access to affordable and nutritious food sources. The company has warehouses in Dodoma and Songea, two prime agricultural zones. With the fund’s backing, Rainbow will expand its procurement and distribution capacity, enabling a greater volume of nutritious food to reach those who need it most.
Notes to editors
About Incofin
Incofin is a global impact investment pioneer, backing businesses in inclusive finance, sustainable food, and clean water. Managing over $1.1 billion in assets, Incofin is an AIFM-licensed fund manager with an expert and engaged team of 90+ professionals across Belgium, Colombia, Kenya, and India. With more than $4.7 billion invested through equity and debt, Incofin powers entrepreneurs across 50+ emerging and frontier markets, delivering real-world impact where it matters most.
About GAIN
The Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition is a Swiss-based foundation dedicated to tackling malnutrition worldwide. With a focus on increasing consumer demand, accessibility, and market incentives for nutritious foods, GAIN is at the forefront of the fight against malnutrition.
About the Nutritious Food Financing Facility (N3F)
Launched by Incofin and GAIN, the Nutritious Food Financing Facility is the first impact fund dedicated to improving the availability and accessibility of nutritious foods in Sub-Saharan Africa. By investing in small- and medium-sized enterprises along the food value chain, N3F aims to deliver social and financial returns while addressing the continent’s malnutrition and food security challenges.
For more information on other investees of the fund, please see here & here.
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