Mudavadi Tours Diaspora-led Food Innovation Centre in the UK

Kenya’s Prime Cabinet Secretary, Musalia Mudavadi, ended an official visit to the United Kingdom with a tour of Sacoma Global Food Innovation in Dagenham, a centre established by Kenyan diaspora entrepreneurs.

The facility aims to connect Kenyan producers with international markets while promoting sustainable technologies in the food and agriculture sectors. It was founded by entrepreneur Perez Ochieng and focuses on building supply chains that link Kenya’s agricultural output with global consumers.

Sacoma has developed partnerships to produce, import and distribute products including sweet potatoes, coffee, tea, moringa, avocados and baby formula milk. In addition to food production, the organisation supports green manufacturing projects, including the development of building and insulation materials made from sugarcane waste. 

During the visit, Mudavadi said the centre demonstrates how diaspora-led ventures can strengthen Kenya’s agricultural value chains. He said financing, skills development and technology transfer are important for enabling such enterprises to create employment, expand exports and support the country’s broader economic transformation.

Kenya’s High Commissioner to the UK, Ambassador Maurice Makoloo, accompanied Mudavadi during the tour.