Blocked in Kenya, Brookside Uganda finds lifeline in Algeria
Brookside Uganda is one of four local manufacturers selected by the Algerian government and private importers to supply powdered milk. The others are Pearl Dairies (a subsidiary of Mauritius-based Maziwa), Amos Dairies, and Bennifoods.
Bennifoods, the latest entrant into Uganda's dairy industry, operates a plant in Lyantonde District, about 200km southwest of Kampala.
Kenya Dairy Board (KDB) in March 2023 blocked Brookside Uganda's products from the Kenyan market. To cushion the firm, Ugandan dairy authorities granted it a three-month exclusive window (May to July 2025) to export to Algeria.'Brookside had accumulated stock due to restricted access to the Kenyan market. We agreed to allocate them the first export slot to Algeria,' said Samson Akankiza, Commissioner for Dairy Development and Production.
According to Mr Akankiza, Pearl Dairies will take up the next three-month window beginning in August, followed by Amos Dairies and Bennifoods.
The Moroccan dairy market, estimated at $1.39 billion in 2024, is projected to reach $1.69 billion by 2030.
The $500 million Algerian milk market presents Uganda with a valuable alternative while access to the Kenyan market remains blocked.
The KDB has withheld milk import permits from Brookside Uganda for over 800 days, effectively shutting the brand out, despite Ugandan labels such as Lato and Dairy Top enjoying free market access in Kenya.
Brookside Dairy Uganda, a subsidiary of Kenya-based Brookside Dairy, has decried the restrictions as unfair. Industry insiders suggest the ban may be politically motivated and possibly tied to tensions between former President Uhuru Kenyatta, whose family holds a majority stake in Brookside, and his successor William Ruto.
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