Mellow Foods: Dairy Value Addition for Livelihood Improvement

Mellow Foods’ story began with the Fermented Foods for Life project, which focused on promoting probiotic fermented foods among rural and disadvantaged communities. The project, implemented by the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) in collaboration with Yoba for Life Foundation and the Western University of Canada, aimed to train small-scale processors to make probiotic yoghurt and distribute it locally. Philip was part of the project implementation team.

However, when the project ended, the demand for training, culture, and linkage with input suppliers in the dairy value chain persisted. Consequently, the Yoba for Life Foundation and NEADAP (Netherlands East Africa Dairy Partnership) challenged Mellow Foods to develop a less donor-dependent but more market-driven model to continue the interventions, leading to the creation of D-VALI. The program began operating in March 2022 and has since reached 15 groups in 6 counties and trained over 250 cow milk value chain actors in dairy value addition.

The trainings primary focus on skills transfer in the processing of yoghurt and other dairy products such as mala, flavoured milk and milkshake. The trainees are also guided on the marketing of the products, certification procedures for wider distribution, and basics of business planning. The trainings are provided at a fee and form an integral part the D-VALI Program’s business mentorship approach which includes follow-up after training for supportive supervision and linking of the trained processors with providers of inputs and regulatory services.

What sets D-VALI Program apart from other service providers in the Kenyan market, is the delivery of the comprehensive package of capacity development services, alongside the exclusive distribution of the Yoba for Life starter culture for the production of probiotic yoghurt. The culture is stable at room temperature, making it uniquely suitable for rural communities with limited refrigeration capacity. DVALI's collaboration with JKUAT also allows it to offer internship opportunities to promising units to improve their processing methods, benefiting both the processors and the students.

In addition to capacity development, Mellow Foods produces yoghurt on a small scale and distributes it locally. The company has set up a production unit in Yala, Siaya County, producing yoghurt and selling it to local communities. As part of the strategy to widen the product’s reach and scale up its benefits, the company plans to introduce probiotic yoghurt in schools in Siaya County and the neighbouring Vihiga, Busia, Kakamega, Bungoma and Kisumu counties. The production unit in Yala was chosen due to its good milk output and proximity to milk-producing areas that are doing well in dairy production.

In a world where food security and economic empowerment are critical, the Mellow Foods’ Dairy Value Addition for Livelihood Improvement Program offers a beacon of hope. The company’s commitment to applying commercial approaches to advance social and economic gains makes it a valuable partner in the Netherlands East Africa Dairy Partnership (NEADAP). As they continue to innovate and scale up, they will positively impact more lives and communities.

About Yoba

The Yoba for Life Foundation is a non-profit international development organization founded in the Netherlands in 2009. (“Yoba for Life Foundation”) (“Yoba for Life Foundation”) The foundation aims to help people in resource-poor countries by catalysing the local production of probiotic yoghurt with proven health benefits. Yoba for Life conducts its main activities in Uganda, Tanzania and Ethiopia, and pilots are running in other countries (Rwanda, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Ivory Coast, Nepal and Indonesia). Yoba for Life is working with NEADAP on scaling up yoghurt production and promoting probiotic yoghurt. Yoba for Life is supporting Mellow Foods by providing access to all their training materials, experience, and networks, to support Mellow Foods implement similar activities as the foundation on a commercial basis.