EthioChicken

About EthioChicken

EthioChicken operates as a key poultry company in East Africa, with a business model centered on improving food security and the livelihoods of smallholder farmers in Ethiopia. Founded in 2010 by American entrepreneurs David Ellis, Joseph Shields, and Trent Koutsoubos, the company was born from their decision to move to Ethiopia and invest in a business with significant social impact. Their journey began with the acquisition of Mekelle Farms, a struggling government poultry farm, which they transformed by increasing its production more than thirty-fold within the first year.

The company's core business is the production and distribution of day-old chicks (DOCs) of improved, dual-purpose breeds that are more productive than indigenous Ethiopian chickens. These birds mature faster, reaching market weight in three months compared to twelve, and can produce up to 250 eggs per year, a substantial increase from the 60 eggs produced by local breeds. EthioChicken's model addresses the high mortality rate of young chicks by using a network of thousands of agents. The company sells DOCs, along with specially formulated feed and vaccines, to these agents who raise the chicks for the critical first 40-45 days. This de-risks the process for smallholder farmers, who then purchase the more robust young chickens. This distribution system solves last-mile delivery challenges in remote rural areas and builds on the local networks and trust of the agents.

Revenue is generated from the sale of these comprehensive packages—chicks, feed, and vaccines—to its network of agents. EthioChicken also operates its own feed mills to ensure a supply of quality feed. The end-customers are primarily rural households and smallholder farmers, many of whom are women, who raise the chickens for both egg consumption, which improves household nutrition, and for meat, which provides a vital source of income. The parent company of EthioChicken, Hatch Africa, has replicated this successful model in other African nations, including Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya, Ghana, and Ivory Coast, under the name Uzima Chicken.