Uganda’s leading meat processing company, Ranchers Finest Limited, has dispatched its first consignment of value-added meat products to Ethiopia under a landmark supply agreement with the Diamond Hotel Group, marking a major milestone in the country’s drive to increase agricultural exports through value addition.
The deal will see Ranchers Finest supply approximately 20 tonnes of processed meat products every month, including premium beef, goat, lamb, chicken and pork products such as steaks, sausages, bacon, ham, ribs and cold cuts to one of Ethiopia’s leading hotel chains.
Speaking during the flag-off ceremony, Ranchers Finest Chief Executive Officer Collin Muyanja said the agreement is a breakthrough for Uganda’s meat industry and demonstrates growing regional confidence in locally processed meat products.
“This shipment places Uganda’s value-added beef products on the regional market for the first time under a formal supply contract with a major hotel group in Ethiopia. It is also a vote of confidence in the superior quality and flavour of Ugandan beef,” Muyanja said.
He noted that the company won the contract through a competitive tender process, backed by its internationally recognised ISO 22000 and HACCP food safety certifications.
Muyanja said the company produces more than 120 value-added meat products, ranging from premium beef steaks and bacon to chicken sausages, marinated chicken, pork chops, ham and other processed products.
He stressed that exporting processed products instead of raw carcasses will significantly increase Uganda’s export earnings while creating more employment opportunities across the livestock value chain.
“For many years Uganda has exported carcasses, allowing other countries to process them into higher-value products and sell them back to us. Through value addition, we can earn several times more from every animal while creating jobs in farming, slaughterhouses, processing, packaging and logistics,” he said.
Muyanja added that the new export market will provide guaranteed off-take for livestock farmers, encouraging increased investment in cattle, goat, sheep, pig and poultry production.
To ensure a sustainable supply of quality raw materials, Ranchers Finest is working with organised farmer groups and out-growers across the country, providing technical support while maintaining strict food safety and traceability standards required for international markets.
Senior Presidential Advisor on Agribusiness and Value Addition Development Dr. Hilary Emmanuel Musoke described the export deal as a significant achievement for Uganda’s industrialisation agenda and a practical demonstration of President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni’s campaign for value addition.
“For years, Ugandans have exported live animals and carcasses without adding value. Yet one animal can produce more than 50 different products. That means we have been exporting value and jobs to other countries,” Dr. Musoke said.
He said Ranchers Finest’s investment in meat processing will help retain more wealth within Uganda while boosting exports, employment and farmer incomes.
“This is not just a victory for Ranchers Finest but for Uganda. Exporting finished meat products to a five-star hotel group in Ethiopia shows that Uganda can compete in regional premium markets,” he added.
Dr. Musoke noted that the company already employs more than 200 people and supports organised farmer groups through contract farming and guaranteed off-take arrangements, a model he said complements government programmes such as the Parish Development Model (PDM).
He encouraged Ugandans to invest in livestock farming, saying expanding value-added exports would create sustainable markets for farmers while increasing foreign exchange earnings.
The Ethiopia contract adds to Ranchers Finest’s growing regional export footprint, with the company already supplying processed meat products to markets including Kenya, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Tanzania, Burundi and the United Arab Emirates.
Industry players believe the new agreement represents another step towards positioning Uganda as a regional hub for premium value-added agricultural exports, while strengthening the country’s meat processing industry and improving returns for livestock farmers.
