Turkeys in Kenya

Kenya experiences an annual economic growth of 5 percent. Supermarkets and restaurants are working hard to keep up with the demand of the growing middle class. The market for quality meat is mounting. Meat consumption is expected to double between 2000 and 2030. The consumption of poultry will even triple as a combined effect of increasing per capita consumption and population growth. The poultry sector is for African standards well developed, with a complete and professional production chain. On poultry, Kenya is practically self-sufficient. 98% of all poultry is chicken. There are less than 100.000 turkeys in the whole country. Alternative meats however are becoming increasingly popular. The amount of hybrid chickens estimates only 16.5 percent of the total amount of chickens. The rest of the chicken population exists of traditional, indigenous chickens, which are more popular amongst consumers, but are kept in rural areas and rarely reach supermarkets. The regular turkey in Kenya is not a broiler, but considered as indigenous. Most turkey meat in restaurants and all turkey meat in supermarkets however are from broiler turkeys, in Kenya delivered by only one producer.