Human and animal feeds maker Unga Group invested Sh211 million in solar energy and its Famila porridge production line in the year ended June 2025 as it seeks to cut costs and focus on products with high demand.
The company undertook renovations of silos and equipment to improve the quality of the Famila line, as well as completion of solar energy installations to reduce operating costs.
“Capital expenditure was maintained at a focused level (Sh211 million) and directed towards projects with quick paybacks, such as the restoration of the Famila production line and the ongoing deployment of solar energy systems across our sites," Unga said in its latest annual report.
Famila is a brand of nutritious porridge and cereal products from Unga, including options like instant porridge and baby cereals, made from maize, millet and sorghum.
Unga says the upgrades have helped streamline operations, reducing delays and bottlenecks that previously slowed production.
The company also completed its renewable energy projects including solar installation at production facilities.
The Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE)-listed food processor has reported significant savings following its switch to solar energy, cutting administrative costs by nearly 40 percent.
“The successful utilisation of solar power for production delivered quantifiable cost savings.
The average monthly electricity bill dropped by approximately Sh50,000, culminating in total savings of Sh1,166,459 since the project's installation,” added Unga.
More companies are investing in solar power plants to cut costs and reduce disruptions brought by outages in the national grid. They include Carbacid Investments and Mabati Rolling Mills.
